TIL Desk/Business/Goa/ Liquor traders in Goa on Friday asked the state government to stop issuing any more licences for retail sale of alcohol as the industry has reached “saturation point”. All Goa Liquor Traders Association president Dattaprasad Naik also said if the proposed hike in excise duty on alcohol mooted in the recent state budget is not withdrawn, the entire industry would collapse.
The budget 2020-21, presented in the assembly on February 6, proposed a hike in the excise duty on various liquor brands, including local brew ‘Feni’. Naik said 2,000 retail liquor outlets already exist for a population of 15 lakh which is sufficient to meet the requirements in Goa. “There is no space for more outlets in the state.
The state government should stop giving fresh licences for the next three years, he said, adding the industry has reached “saturation point”. Naik said besides the 2,000 retail outlets, there are 8,000-10,000 bars which sell liquor across the state, a popular tourist destination. He claimed the liquor trade industry is slowly slipping out of the hands of Goans due to “faulty” policies of the state government.
