The Telangana government raised prices of liquor brands from ₹10 to ₹40 per bottle with effect from Monday, people aware of the development said.
Decision by Beverages Corporation, Excise Department
The Telangana Beverages Corporation Limited (TGBCL) took the decision to hike the liquor prices in sync with the policy decision of the state prohibition and excise department. According to the new prices, Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and foreign liquor brands 180 ml quarter bottle will be priced ₹10 higher, the 350 ml half-bottle has increased by a ₹20 increase, and the 750ml full bottle by ₹40.
There has not been any rise in the rate of low-value ordinary liquor or ready-to-consume items such as wine or breezer or beer. There will be an effect on more than 2,000 liquor brands across the state and all the retail liquor shops have been ordered to display new rates.
Wine Dealers Say No Profit Boost for Retailers in Telangana
“The state government has not increased the base price of the IMFL brands, but only increased special excise cess (SEC), which will be added to the final bill of the liquor sale. As such, there will be no additional benefit to the liquor dealers,” Telangana wine dealers’ association president D Venkateshwar Rao. He further said that the state government is expected to generate an additional ₹150-170 crore in monthly revenue through the price revision. “We don’t get any hike in our profit margin of 15-20%,” he said.
He said six months ago, the government enforced a similar increase in beer prices by 15%. The price of Kingfisher Ultra beer (650ml) went up from ₹210 to ₹250, following a pressure from the United Breweries Limited (UBL). “But, there was not expected increase in the sales of beer this summer,” the association president said.
Liquor Revenue Projections for 2025-26
According to the budget estimates of 2025-26, the state government had a revenue of ₹25,617 crore in 2024-25 for the excise department. In 2025-26, it was estimated to realize a revenue of ₹27,623 crore from liquor, excluding state goods and services tax and liquor sale cess.
“The decision to increase the cess comes in the wake of a series of high-level meetings aimed at boosting state revenues and setting departmental targets,” an official of the excise department said.
Telangana Liquor Rates Higher Than Andhra Pradesh
The Telangana liquor prices are also continuing on the higher side as against its neighboring Andhra Pradesh. For instance, Ballantine blended scotch whisky bottle (750 ml) sells for ₹4,150 in Telangana, as against ₹2,600 in Andhra Pradesh. Likewise, a full-bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label currently retails at ₹4,690 in Telangana and no more than ₹2,720 in Andhra Pradesh.
“However, in Andhra Pradesh, too, the prices of all categories of IMFL went up by 15% since February this year due to increase in additional retail excise tax. Yet, the cost of liquor in Andhra Pradesh is lesser compared to Telangana,” the official added.
BRS Criticises Congress Government Over Excise Dependence
Reacting to the price hike of liquor bottles, senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former finance minister T Harish Rao criticised the Congress government for depending on the excise revenue to run the administration. “Is this government only dependent on beers and bars as all its efforts are aimed at filling the coffers by increasing the liquor revenue,” he questioned. He said it appears Telangana was rising only in the excise income by increasing the prices of liquor.
