The liquor market in Dakshina Kannada district, with Mangaluru as its epicenter, displayed remarkable stability in December 2025. Official data reveals a market in a state of subtle flux, where one segment grew marginally while another contracted, pointing to evolving consumer preferences rather than a broad-based decline.
A Tale of Two Segments: IMFL Edges Up, Beer Retreats
The numbers tell a clear story of divergence. Sales of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) showed a slight upward tick. In December 2025, 2,36,175 boxes of IMFL were sold, compared to 2,36,048 boxes in the same month of 2024. This represents a minimal increase of just 127 boxes, or a growth of 0.1%.
In stark contrast, the beer segment experienced a downturn. Consumption fell to 2,20,331 boxes in December 2025 from 2,23,126 boxes a year earlier. This decline of 2,795 boxes translates to a negative growth of 1.3% for the month, indicating a shift away from beer among local consumers.
Broader Trends and Localized Factors Impacting Sales
Zooming out to the period from April to December, the excise department's figures show a more pronounced trend. Total liquor sales for the 2025-26 fiscal year (Apr-Dec) stood at 19,82,939 units, which is 42,027 units less than the 20,24,966 units sold in the corresponding period of 2024-25. This marks an overall decline of 2.1%.
The beer segment's struggle is even more evident in this longer timeframe, recording a sharp 16.3% drop, with sales down by a substantial 3,00,191 boxes.
However, sales were not uniformly weak across the district. Excise department sources confirmed that sales performed better within the limits of Mangaluru South and North. Most other areas reported poor figures, attributed to a confluence of local factors.
A senior excise official explained that key local economic activities like fishing, laterite and sand mining, and arecanut cultivation were subdued. Furthermore, the usual flurry of December functions saw a dip from mid-month due to Moudya, a period considered inauspicious in the Hindu calendar. "Christian events were mainly held, as Hindu community programmes were not held due to Moudya," the official stated.
Another significant factor was the complete restriction on the flow of liquor to border areas of Kerala due to elections there, which choked a usual channel of distribution and consumption.
Neighboring Udupi Mirrors the Mixed Trend
The trend was largely mirrored in the neighboring Udupi district. T.M. Srinivas, the deputy commissioner of the excise department in Udupi, reported a modest increase in liquor sales. "We sold about 1,500 extra boxes compared to December 2024," he said.
However, echoing the Dakshina Kannada pattern, beer sales in Udupi also faced headwinds. Srinivas noted, "Whereas beer saw negative growth, with 2,000 fewer boxes being sold in December compared to last year."
The data from December 2025 ultimately paints a picture of a resilient but changing market in coastal Karnataka. While overall demand has softened slightly in the current fiscal year, the steady performance of IMFL alongside a clear dip in beer sales suggests consumers are making specific choices, likely influenced by taste, price, or occasion, rather than withdrawing from the market entirely.
