Andhra Pradesh has witnessed a rise of 10.5% in liquor sales in 2016 as compared to the previous year.

Till December, the state has collected excise income of Rs 3,384 crore and VAT income of Rs 6,669 crore in the 2016-17 fiscal year.

In 2015-16, the excise department had collected Rs 12,450 crore in revenue. For 2016-17, revenue of nearly Rs 10,531 crore has been collected against the target of Rs 13,700 crore.

“There was a 22% decrease in sales last November when compared to 2015 due to demonetisation, but the figure rose again in December,” Commissioner for state Excise and Enforcement Mukesh Kumar Meena told The New Indian Express.

It was earlier reported that after demonetisation of high value notes, in Visakhapatnam city alone, the sale had come down by about 35 to 40% and in the rural areas it was down by about 30 to 35%.

In Tirupati, liquor sales came down by 30% after demonetisation.

“Construction workers and daily wage labourers who are the main consumers, do not have money because construction activities have been hit,” owner of a wine shop in Puttur in the district earlier told Deccan Chronicle.

In Vijayawada, the liquor sale came down by at least 20% post demonetisation.

However, in January, the Commissioner for state Excise and Enforcement estimated sales of more than Rs 100 crore in Vijayawada alone.