Thiruvananthapuram, August 25
Liquor retail outlets operated by the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BEVCO) and Consumerfed will remain closed on Wednesday for Thiruvonam and again on Friday to mark Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti.
With Uthradam traditionally witnessing the highest liquor sales during the Onam season, BEVCO has made special arrangements to manage the anticipated rush at its outlets across Kerala. Additional employees have been deployed at retail stores, while police surveillance has been sought outside major outlets to regulate crowds, prevent violence and maintain public order.
While BEVCO and Consumerfed outlets will remain closed on Thiruvonam, licensed bars will be allowed to operate. However, a complete shutdown will be enforced on Friday, when all liquor outlets, including bars, will remain closed for Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti.
Liquor sales have already registered a significant increase during the current Onam season. Official figures show that BEVCO outlets recorded sales worth ₹512.11 crore during the past six days, compared with ₹460.8 crore during the corresponding period last year. The increase amounts to more than ₹51 crore.
Uthradam is generally the biggest single day for liquor sales in Kerala during the festival season. In 2025, BEVCO registered sales of ₹137 crore on Uthradam, up from ₹126 crore in 2024. This represented year-on-year growth of 9.21 per cent.
BEVCO, one of Kerala’s major revenue-generating public sector undertakings, has also announced an enhanced Onam bonus for its employees. The maximum bonus payable this year has been fixed at ₹1.05 lakh, an increase of ₹2,500 over the previous year.
Authorities expect the upward sales trend to continue on Uthradam and have strengthened security and crowd-control measures at busy outlets to prevent untoward incidents during the festival rush.
