State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya stated that due to objections from liquor distillers and associations, a final decision on the revision of annual excise license fees will be made after further discussions.
He also mentioned that the conclusive decision will be taken after President Ranil Wickremesinghe returns to the island from his current visit to Switzerland, where he is attending the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum for a 12-day stay.
Despite the ongoing discussions, the government, through an Excise Ordinance issued by the President, had already decided to revise the Annual Excise License fees effective from January 12, 2024.
Notably, various license fees, including Distillery License, Toddy bottling, vinegar manufacturing, and annual Wholesale License for liquor, have been subject to adjustments, while the annual license fee for night clubs has been reduced.
The Distillery License fee, excluding Palmyra arrack, was increased from Rs. 1 million to Rs. 25 million, and the License fee for Palmyra arrack increased from Rs. 250,000 to Rs. 5 million.
Additionally, the License fee for bottling Toddy saw an increase from Rs. 1 million to Rs. 10 million, while the license fee for manufacturing vinegar went up from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 2.5 million.
The annual Wholesale License for liquor was hiked from Rs. 1 million to Rs. 5 million. However, the annual license fee for night clubs was decreased from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 250,000. (NewsWire)
