MP excise policy hits foreign liquor sale, allege sellers

A liquor sellers' association in Madhya Pradesh today blamed new state excise policy for fall in sales of imported alcohol and alleged that the state government is promoting domestic manufacturers at the expense of foreign sellers.
"Excise department has neither given labelling permission nor fixed the price of imported alcohol following which it is not being supplied to liquor shops," Jagjit Singh Bhatia, president of Madhya Pradesh Country and Foreign Made Liquor Association, told reporters here.
He said they losing potential revenue due to short supply of imported alcohol.
Bhatia said the government's new Excise Policy is aimed at promoting domestic liquor manufacturers and that has damaged their business immensely.

"The new excise policy has raised the labelling cess of imported alcohol following which foreign companies have beat a retreat and their brands have vanished from shelves of liquor shops in Madhya Pradesh," he said.
As per a provision of excise department, imported alcohol can be sold only after permission for its labelling is secured and its price is determined.
Meanwhile, State Excise Commissioner Rakesh Shrivastava said while some imported liquor companies have not deposited licence fee with government some have not forwarded their proposed rates of their brands for approval.
"We are in talks with the foreign liquor manufacturers for streamlining the supply of imported alcohol to shops in the state," he added.