"The Maharasthra government appears to be open to the idea of making beer available through general and departmental stores. The association has recently made a presentation to state excise and finance ministers highlighting the ways to boost beer consumption," AIBA president Zinia Lawyer told The Financial Express.

The government's revenue can be increased by improving the availability of beer. This is possible only if the retail outlet base is expanded by giving licence to general stores and supermarkets, she said.

A separate retail licence for beer should be issued at cheaper rates. For instance, the retail licence fee for Mumbai should be in the range of Rs 20,000 per annum against Rs 1,20,000 pere annum for IMFL retail licence, AIBA officials said.

The association has also proposed to the government that it should create at least 10,000 exclusive beer parlours and 5,000 additional retail shops. Globally, beer retail licences are issued liberally leading to increased beer sales, much higher than the liquor sales, Zinia Lawyer said.

Beer sales in the country have dropped during the period between April 1999 and March 2000 compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. In Maharashtra, beer sales has registered a decline of 8 per cent during April-December 1999 period.

The share of beer in total IMFL revenue in Maharashtra is 11 per cent indicating that the beer industry's potential for growth is enormous.

Beer sales in the state has suffered due to high consumer prices resulting from high incidence of duties apart from unfavourable price relation between 650 ml bottle of beer and 180 ml bottle of liquor. While a 650 ml mild beer bottle costs Rs 45, 180 ml bottle of medium whisky is priced at Rs 38. India has one of the lowest per capita consumption of beer in the world at 0.4 litres. Per capita consumption of beer in countries like Czech Replubic and UK stand at 161 litres and 106 litres, respectively.