Hyderabad: The city is on the brink of a beer shortage as a deadlock between the state government and the brewing industry over pricing issues and outstanding dues continues. Industry insiders warn that while the stock of major beer brands could last up to eight days, the supply of the popular Kingfisher brand in key depots may be exhausted as early as tomorrow.
According to data obtained by The Times of India (TOI), the statewide stock of Kingfisher large bottles is expected to last just four more days on average. In major hubs such as the Hyderabad-1 depot, the stock will run out in just one day, while another depot may have enough supplies for only about eight days.
The brewing crisis began nearly two weeks ago when United Breweries Ltd (UB), the producer of Kingfisher and Heineken beers, suspended its supply to Telangana due to unpaid bills and the state’s refusal to approve a hike in retail prices. With UB halting deliveries, other breweries face the challenge of ramping up production, a process that will take at least 15 days to resolve.
Meanwhile, stocks of other popular beer brands are also dwindling. Budweiser will last just one more day, Haywards 5000 has enough stock for about eight days, and Knock Out has only seven days of supply remaining.
In response to the shortage, depots and wine shops have begun rationing their beer supplies. “Beer is mainly sold in the evenings when demand peaks. Many customers who buy beer also tend to purchase liquor, so shops are trying to conserve their stocks for as long as possible,” a source explained.
Despite Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s comments about issuing a new notification for the supply of beer from other companies, only about 10 firms renewed their registrations last year. Industry experts are hopeful that once the state government clears the pending dues, some companies may increase production, potentially alleviating the crisis.
“There are customers who are purchasing more beer in anticipation of a shortage, but we remain optimistic that the situation will be resolved soon,” said a government source.
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