Despite low in demand, rum does a vanishing act

LUCKNOW: Is it a sharp dip in demand for rum or there is something more to it? Suddenly, the rum has gone off the shelves at liquor stores in the city. Both retailers and dealers claim that this is the first time that liquor is not available, even though it being a lean season. “The demand for rum does register a sharp dip in summers but this is the first time that it has completely vanished,’’ said a dealer on the condition of anonymity.
So what has happened? Dealers claim that the supply of quite a few brands were regulated leaving only a couple of them for cons u m p t i o n .“This left very little options for the people. As a result, the demand has plunged drastically,’’ a retailer said.
Dealers claim that the demand is very much there in the market. “But that is going to sustain only when there is a variety,’’ a dealer said. ``With almost no options left, in the absence of a variety of brands, people are drifting away from the liquor. And as a result, the demand has registered a fall,’’ he said.
According to excise department sources, the average monthly consumption of rum in Lucknow during summers was in the range of around 1,200 units (bottles) till last year. They were sold through around 250 outlets in the city.
But now, the retailers are not putting forth their requirement before the suppliers, the excise sources said. “That is necessarily because of shortfall in demand from consumers,’’ maintained district excise officer Alok Kumar. “It is up to the retailers to put forth their demand and the supply would come through. But as a rule, it would still take a time of at least four days,’’ he said. Kumar categorically denied of receiving any complaint from the retailers about a crisis.As a matter of fact, retailers get the stock in bulk which is not proportionate with the demand.
“When there is a dip in demand, why a retailer would block his money by purchasing a stock and storing it,’’Alok said. Dealers claim that the availability would be only in winters when the demand goes up by three to five times.