All dried out! Unusually hot summer, restricted supply causes beer shortage in Delhi

Beer lovers in Delhi are having a tough time scoring their favourite brands which face a supply crunch due to “restrictions” from bottlers in neighbouring states amid high demand due to an unusually hot summer. According to Times of India, beer has disappeared from resto-bars too. Industry insiders said the situation was likely to continue till July and beer guzzlers would have to look for other options. Since the implementation of new Excise Policy 2021-22 by Delhi government last November, private retail vends have been making attractive offers to the consumers which has led to an increase in demand for all kinds of alcoholic beverages, including beer, officials said. There are several factors that have fuelled shortage of beer in Delhi, one of which is an early onset of summer, said Vinod Giri, director general of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies. Another key reason for shortage is that the manufacturers have been asked to first fulfil the local demand in the neighbouring states like and Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab where they are located, before supplying it to Delhi and other places, he said. Shortage of beer in Delhi is a normal feature during the summers but this year it is more due to less supply from states like Uttar Pradesh, said a senior excise department officer. “The demand for beer rises during summer in northern parts of the country. In such a situation, supply to Delhi, which has no manufacturing facility, is affected since manufactures in major supplier states have to meet the local demand too,” said the officer. According to TOI, Giri said there was an increase of at least 30 per cent in demand for a beer this year compared with earlier years. “The demand has suddenly jumped this time due to the early onset of summer in March,” he added. “States, where distilleries are located, tell manufacturers to first cater to domestic demand before exporting beer to other states. Delhi doesn’t have any distillery, and it gets its supplies from Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu. Due to restricted supply, the availability is less,” TOI quoted Giri. Vendors are blaming the Delhi government’s excise policy for the supply shortage this year. “The discount policy has left vendors with less liquidity and they didn’t invest much on stocking up on beer when the season started,” said a vendor. “We have to apply on the excise department’s portal for buying liquor and the details of stock available with dealers is shown on that. This time, there is no stock of beer available with stockists,” TOI quoted Pawan Singh, who runs a store at INA. Many beer lovers complained that they were finding it difficult to have their usual brands at the liquor vends in the city. “The usual brands of beer have gone off the shelf. Men at liquor shops ask you to try new brands which I have never tasted. Due to shortage, you make do with whatever is available, whether it’s a can of beer or a bottle,” said a man outside a liquor shop in Naraina area of the city. Usually, the annual sale of beer in Delhi is around 315-320 million cases, out of which about 40 per cent gets sold during the summer months, he said. But with an increased demand, the annual sale of beer this year is expected to go up to 330-340 million cases, he added. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.