The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (Tasmac) earned revenue of around ₹417.18 crore this Pongal season.
The data collected from Tasmac show that on January 13, when Bhogi was celebrated, the total collection was ₹147.75 crore. On the day of Pongal, the sales stood at ₹269.43 crore. “The sales will go up this weekend and on the day of Kaanum Pongal and surpass last year’s sales of ₹600 crore,” a source in Tasmac said.
On January 15, liquor outlets downed their shutters on account of Thiruvalluvar Day.
The source pointed out that this year, the Pongal sales were better than those on New Year’s Eve. On December 30 and 31, 2020, Tasmac clocked sales to the tune of ₹273 crore.
The region-wise data that were collated show that on January 13 and 14, 2021, Chennai saw the maximum sales, at ₹93.55 crore, followed by Tiruchi with ₹85.62 crore. Sales in the Madurai region for the two days were ₹83.42 crore. In the Salem and Coimbatore zones, sales were to the tune of ₹79.9 crore and ₹74.69 crore respectively.
Those tracking the liquor industry said the ₹2,500 cash gift doled out by the State government for the festival increased the purchasing power of people.
Tasmac has over 5,338 shops across Tamil Nadu, and together they sell liquor worth ₹130 crore-₹140 crore a day.
