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Puducherry Distilleries Ltd

INTRODUCTION

The erstwhile French government distillers run under the Distillery Department since 1916 was taken over by a government company in the name and style "Puducherry DISTILLERIES LIMITED" (PDL) in 1971-72, with the initial authorised and wholly paid up share capital of Rs.25 lakhs fully subscribed by the Government of Puducherry. It had its location at No 1, Goubert Avenue, Puducherry-605 001.

ESTABLISHMENT OF ARRACK BLENDING AND BOTTLING UNIT The Company had closed its distillation operation at its Kuruchukuppam site, Beach Road (Goubert Avenue), Puducherry, on 30-04-1997 in compliance with the Order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India on a Writ Petition No. 184/1996 filed by the local residents that PDL's distillery is one of the water/air polluting industry. The company disposed off its old distillery plant and machinery at Rs.90 lakhs through open tender. It was also decided to dispose off the land and built up structures there preferably to government bodies. The Tourism Department has given their willingness to take over these assets for which the decision of the Government is awaited.

After the closure of the distillery, the Government has decided to dispense with the process of distillation and permitted PDL to take up the simpler process of blending and bottling of Arrack by purchasing Rectified Spirit from outside. The Government also decided that 75% of Guaranteed Quota of Arrack (37% v/v) will be supplied to the Vendors in loose form and only 25% in bottled form.

An abandoned site owned by the ANGLO-FRENCH TEXTILES (Puducherry Textiles Corporation) at Ariyapalayam at RS No 144 & 145 in the Villianur Commune, was selected for establishing PDL's Arrack Blending and Bottling Unit. The Government released Rs. 750 lakhs as additional Share Capital to establish this new project. The capital expenditure involved in this project so far is Rs. 756 lakhs.

All the workers and staff of the old distillers were re-deployed in this new unit. At present there are 123 employees in this company including 2 on deputation and 2 absorbed employees of the erstwhile Govt. Distillers Department. There are 17 officers and 26 ministerial staff.

From this new Unit, the company is effecting the production and sale of Arrack satisfactorily. In addition to Arrack, PDL is selling Denatured Spirit for paint manufacturers, etc., and Rectified Spirit for medicinal clinical use. The Company also launched colored and flavoured Arrack (40% v/v) which was priced much below the low brands of IMFL i.e., Rum & Gin with a view to provide better quality product at low price.

There are 116 licensed vendors (in Puducherry region 87 vendors and in Karaikal region 29 vendors) taking Arrack supply (75% in loose and 25% in bottles) from PDL in a year on an average. Their off-take of Arrack from PDL stands around 30%, 37%, 63%, 69% and 71% of the guaranteed quota in 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-2001, 2001-2002, and 2002-03 respectively, averaging daily Arrack sales at 16,589, 21,531, 26,079 litres in the respective years. In this 2003-2004 the average has improved to 29,880 litres at present.

PERFORMANCE From its inception in 1971-72, PDL was earning profits, till it was closed (1-5-1997) for a while subsequent to the Hon'ble Supreme Court's Order at its old site.

From the Arrack Blending and Bottling Unit, the company is effecting the production and sale of Arrack, Denatured Spirit for industrial uses and Rectified Spirit for medicinal/clinical use. From October, 2001 the Company has also launched colored and flavoured Arrack (having a strength of 40% v/v) which was priced much below the low brands of IMFL i.e., Rum & Gin with a view to provide better quality product at low price. The company's production of Arrack in 2002-2003 is as detailed below: The total Arrack blended is 105.35 lakh litres which is 10.5% higher than done in the previous year (95.29 lakh litres in 2001-2002) and the corresponding total bottling done is 41.48 lakh litres (38.35 lakh litres in 2001-2002) which is 8% more than the previous year.

The total sale of Arrack is 104.97 lakh litres in 2002-2003 as against previous year's 96.63 lakh litres which is 8.63% more. The production and sale of Denatured Spirit is 73,953 litres compared to 48,899 litres in 2001-2002 showing an increase of 51.23%. The sale of Rectified Spirit stood at 29,659 litres in 2002-2003.

The total sale of Arrack upto 9-10-2003 is 57.37 lakh litres in 2003-04. The production and sale of Denatured Spirit is 15,063 litres and that of Rectified Spirit is 11,820 Litres during this period in 2003-2004.

Back To Previous Page | Page last updated date: 15-12-2020
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