Hyderabad: Telangana recorded an all-time high in liquor revenue in December 2025, with Telangana liquor sales touching ₹5,102 crore, according to the Excise Department. This marked the first time monthly liquor revenue crossed the ₹5,000 crore milestone in the State.
Officials said sales surged sharply toward the end of the month. On December 31 alone, liquor worth over ₹350 crore was sold across Telangana. Moreover, in the final five days of December, cumulative sales stood at ₹1,344 crore.
The department noted a sharp year-on-year rise. In comparison, liquor sales stood at ₹3,800 crore in December 2024 and ₹4,297 crore in December 2023. Therefore, the latest figures showed an increase of nearly ₹1,300 crore over the previous year.
Officials attributed the spike to multiple overlapping factors. These included Sarpanch elections, Christmas festivities and New Year celebrations. As a result, retail outlets witnessed sustained and heavy footfall throughout the month.
Excise officials also pointed to the impact of the new liquor policy. Newly licensed shop owners, who began operations from December 1, reported strong business during their first month. Currently, 2,620 liquor shops operate across the State.
New Year and elections fuel Telangana liquor sales surge
Anticipating higher demand, the Excise Department ensured uninterrupted liquor supply. Consequently, stocks remained stable despite the sharp increase in consumption.
Official records further showed that Telangana generated nearly ₹1,000 crore in liquor revenue during the final three days of 2025 alone. Officials said this period coincided with peak New Year celebrations statewide.
The revenue surge significantly boosted excise collections. Moreover, officials said December 2025 emerged as the highest single-month contributor to the department’s annual revenue.
The department expects consumption patterns to normalise in January. However, officials said festive and election-linked demand remains a key driver of Telangana liquor sales during year-end periods.
