Kerala State Beverages (Manufacturing & Marketing) Corporation Ltd (BEVCO) is a public sector company fully owned by the Government of Kerala, it started under Civil Supplies Department in 1984 under the Minister N Sreenivasan (Excise Minister), K Karunakaran Ministry. Since then BEVCO has the authority under the Abkari Act & allied Rules for the wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic liquor in Kerala. It controls the retail sales of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and Beer in the state.
History
As per recommendation of a judicial commission, Kerala Government in 1984 amended the Abkari Act and set up a Public Sector Corporation to procure spirit and arrange blending, bottling, sealing and distribution of arrack and sale of IMFL throughout the State of Kerala.
Research by a Kochi-based think tank had suggested liberalization of India's liquor industry to facilitate entry of foreign players, considering the growth of sales in imported spirits across the country. According to think tank CPPR, the liquor market in India is the third largest and fastest growing one in the world. A significant part of this liquor demand is met by domestic production. However, the market operates under the strict regulatory framework of the government and this has led to corruption, cronyism, exorbitant prices, black-marketing and public health concerns, thereby affecting the liquor quality.[3]