Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov held a meeting of the Council regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages and alcohol-containing products in the republic

On November 7, in the Government House of the republic, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov held a meeting of the Council regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages and alcohol-containing products in the republic.

The meeting focused on the situation in the regional alcohol market for nine of the current year.

Speaking at the meeting, Minnikhanov said that the volume of retail sales of alcoholic products and that of vodka produced in Tatarstan has increased by 4 per cent as compared to the same period last year. However, the sale of regional vodka has decreased in 18 regions of the republic. Lower sales of the imported vodka are being observed in the republic in general.

Minnikhanov continued that the declining sales mean that people drink more counterfeit and dubious quality alcoholic beverages. He informed the meeting that 543 cases of alcohol poisoning have been registered in the republic for nine months of the current year. Moreover, the number of deaths caused by alcohol poisoning has increased by 15.6 per cent as compared to the same period last year.

The president emphasized that the sale of alcohol per capita is the key factor to evaluate the state of the alcohol market. For example, this figure is almost two times lower in Aksubayevo region than the average in the republic, while it is much higher in neighboring regions. In general, this indicator is below the average in 28 regions of the republic.

He went on to say that the amount of illegal alcohol seized in relation to beverages sold is another key indicator. For example, the amount of alcohol seized is ten times lower in six regions than the average in the republic.

Minnikhanov gave an errand to prepare a road map to improve the situation in the alcohol market.