The lone state-owned alcohol manufacturer, Carew & Company Bangladesh, has earned about Tk 233 crore in sales in six months from July to December 2022 which is said to be 21 percent higher in comparison to the same period the year before.

An internal audit report of the company confirmed the information.

According to a source in the company, Carew earned Tk 232.96 crore in six months (July-December) of 2022-23 fiscal year and in the same fiscal period in 2021-2022 (July to December) the income was stated to be Tk 192.38 crore.

Carew also recorded the highest liquor sales in the financial year of 2021-2022 where the company earned Tk 429.35 crore.

Officials of the company say revenue will increase in the current season as the company has increased the production and at the same time increased sales centers across the country.

The 84-year-old state-owned alcohol producer in the country, Carew produces a total of nine brands of liquor. Deputy General Manager of Carew's alcohol section, Sahabuddin Ahmed said, Carew sells more than 21,000 cases of liquor every month and each case has 12 bottles.

Carew has 13 warehouses and three sales centers across the country and very recently opened a new sales center in Cox's Bazar.

Carew also plans to expand the market by constructing one sales center each in Rooppur of Ishwardi and Kuakata of Patuakhali and one warehouse each in Rajshahi and Ramu.

Carew officials say the factory located at Chuadanga's Darshana is capable of producing more and currently only 50 percent of the production capacity. However, Carew officials said plan is underway to double production by adopting an automated system and a project at a cost of Tk 102 crore is going on.

Carew sources said apart from liquor, the company also produces other products like vinegar, hand sanitiser, fertiliser, sugar and molasses.

Carew's Managing Director Mosharraf Hossain told The Daily Star that Carew's production is of international quality. Its demand in the domestic market is increasing day by day and it is now time to further modernise the state-owned company.

"We have drawn the government's attention in this regard and they have provided grants for the company's modernisation. We will incur its benefits soon," he said.