News
Licence mandatory for coconut, palmyra tree toddy tapping
31 Oct, 2017
Obtaining a licence has been made mandatory for coconut tree and palmyra tree toddy tapping, the Ministry of Finance said today.
Toddy tapping from coconut and palmyra trees has been brought under license with an amendment proposed to Section 15 of the Excise Ordinance (Chapter52) by the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media. Cabinet approval has been granted for the amendment.
Though a license was required for toddy tapping under the Excise Ordinance it was later amended in 2013 by exempting kithul, palmyrah and coconut trees from the licensing system.
As a result the Department of Excise had faced difficulties in monitoring the volume of liquor produced from toddy by distilleries for the purpose of collecting excise duty.
According to the new amendment, no toddy can be drawn or lowered from coconut or palmyra trees without a license issued by the Department of Excise or by the respective Divisional Secretaries.
However, toddy tapping from Kithul tree has been exempted from the provision of the licensing requirement. (Colombo Gazette)
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