Carew & Co (Bangladesh) Ltd, the country’s only licensed distillery producing alcohol made from sugar molasses at Darshana, Chuadanga, has recorded its highest profit in 32 years by earning Tk 115 crore in the fiscal year 2024–25.
Under the leadership of Managing Director Rabbik Hasan, the company has achieved this milestone.
Established in Darshana in 1938, the enterprise was nationalised after independence in 1971. It is currently operated under the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) of the Ministry of Industries.
Managing Director Rabbik Hasan said, “After deducting corporate tax, the net profit stood at around Tk 85 crore this year, which is significantly higher compared to Tk 64 crore last year.” He added, “This is the highest liquor sales and profit in Carew’s history.”
Carew’s distillery unit produces nine types of local liquor: Yellow Label Whisky, Gold Ribbon Gin, Fine Brandy, Cherry Brandy, Imperial Whisky, Orange Curaçao, Zarina Vodka, Rosa Rum, and Old Rum.
Although the sugar sector has long been facing losses, the company has started to recover. In 2024–25, Keru crushed about 70,000 tonnes of sugarcane to set a target of producing 4,452 tonnes of sugar. On average, the mill processed 1,150 tonnes of sugarcane daily, yielding sugar at an extraction rate of 5.10 percent. Currently, 5,500 acres of land in Chuadanga district are under sugarcane cultivation, including 1,625 acres on Carew’s own farms and 3,937 acres belonging to farmers. The company purchased sugarcane at Tk 240 per maund.
In addition to sugarcane, companion crops such as potatoes, lentils, mustard, coriander, and pumpkins were cultivated on the farms, generating extra income.