More females get high in Sri Lanka
View(s):By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera
The percentage of Sri Lankan females who drink liquor has gradually increased within the last five years, a research study has revealed.
According to a study conducted over two months amongst Colombo’s female working crowd and university students, it was concluded that in the post-war period most ladies had picked up the drinking habit. “Many of them had started consuming liquor after 2009,” Shashreeka Abeysinghe, Investment Analyst TKS Research told the Business Times.
“There’s a growing number of female alcohol consumers and this has gradually increased within the last five years,” a report done by her company on the subject said.
Ms. Abeysinghe said that growth in tourism, rising income, changing perceptions and returning migrants would be the key catalysts for medium term industry growth. “Expensive imported liquor gives a competitive edge for local liquor brands based on ‘kick for buck’,” she said, noting that beer, clear spirits with fruity flavours are the trendy drinks amongst youth.
The Sri Lankan liquor sector is set to grow by about 5 per cent year on year in 2012-15. Local liquor brands are to grow at 3 per cent and beer and foreign brands at 6-7 per cent year on year in terms of volume, Ms.
Abeysinghe said.
The country’s per capita consumption stands at 6.3 litres for beer and 10.5 litres for hard liquor prevalence of an illicit market which is of the same size as the legal market is a major challenge for local liquor manufacturers. “Even though the illicit market is expected to shrink with per capita income rising, heavy excise duties would slow down the shift (to the legal liquor),” Ms. Abeysinghe said.
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