Losing buzz: Liquor firms in Telangana buckle under unpaid state bills

Alcohol manufacturers say payment delays are crippling operations, pushing working capital stress to dangerous levels and threatening supply stability

A deepening payment paralysis in Telangana’s liquor industry is beginning to choke manufacturing units and strain supplies, employment, and the broader investment landscape, industry bodies have warned, as unpaid dues accumulate to levels they describe as “unprecedented” and “severe”.

 

India’s alcoholic beverage (alcobev) industry groups — the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), Brewers Association of India (BAI), and International Spirits and Wines Association of India — have jointly raised the alarm.

 

In a statement, the bodies observed that although alcobev sales and state revenue collections surged in October 2025 on the back of festival demand, payments to suppliers