Chuadanga Darshana Carew & Company, an 83-year-old country's only state-owned company, has earned Tk 232 crore 96 lakh by selling liquor in the 6 months from July 2022 to December 2022. Which is 21 percent more than the same period of the previous financial year. Officials of the company confirmed the matter.
According to the information of the company, in the first 6 months of the financial year 2022-23, i.e. from July to December, the income from the sale of alcohol was Tk 232 crore 96 lakh. The income from July to December of 2021-22 fiscal year was Tk 192 crore 38 lakh. That is, 40 crore 58 lakh more income than the previous year. The income has been increased by 21 percent.
Earlier in the fiscal year 2021-22, the company had recorded the highest liquor sales in the entire history of Carew. At that time the company earned 429 crore 35 lakh taka. That year, excluding all expenses including sugar mill, revenue collection and company management, the company made an actual profit of Tk 67 crore 82 lakh. In the previous fiscal year 2020-21, the income from the sale of alcohol was Tk 314 crore 87 lakh. The profit of Tk 20 crore 90 lakh was adjusted by the losses of various departments including sugar mills.
Officials of the company say that this income will increase further this season. Because the company has increased the production on the one hand and at the same time increased the sales and sales centers across the country.
Carew, the only 84-year-old state-owned liquor producer in the country, produces a total of 9 brands of liquor. Out of this, currently 8 brands of alcohol are being sold in the market and production of one brand is stopped due to lack of raw materials.
Darshana Keru & Co. Manager (Production) Rajibul Hasan said that the company markets liquor in 180 ml, 375 ml and 750 ml bottles. Carew markets 8 brands of liquor in three sizes. These are - Vodka, Fine Brandy, Imperial Whisky, Cherry Brandy, Orange Curacao, Cold Ribbon Gin, Old Rum and Rosa Rum.
According to the company's calculations, Keru sells more than 21,000 cases of liquor every month. A case contains 12 bottles of 750 ml, 24 of 375 ml and 48 of 175 ml. The sales volume of Carew produced liquor has also increased. Last year the company sold an average of 12,000 to 13,000 cases per month. An average of 14 to 15 thousand cases continues to be sold in the last 6 months. Carew had 13 warehouses and 3 sales centers across the country. Currently a new sales center has opened in Cox's Bazar. Apart from this, Carew also plans to expand the market by constructing 1 sales center each in Rooppur and Kuakata and 1 warehouse each in Rajshahi and Ramu. Currently, the undeclared ban on foreign liquor imports has increased both production and sales of domestic establishments.
Carew officials say the factory located at Chuadanga's Darshana is capable of producing more. At present only 50 percent of the production capacity is being utilized. Undertakes plan to double production by adopting automated system. A project at a cost of 102 crores is going on. Apart from liquor, this company also produces other products like vinegar, hand sanitizer, fertilizer, sugar and molasses.
Managing Director of Carew Mosharraf Hossain said that the production of Carew is of international standard. The demand in the domestic market is increasing. A project of Tk 102 crore is already underway for the development of the institution. The production process will be fully automated when the project is completed. Production capacity will also double.