Liquor prices increase with excise duty hike

The prices of liquor will also increase by approximately 6% following the hike in Excise Duty imposed on liquor with effect from tomorrow (January 11).

The Ministry of Finance has increased the excise duty imposed on liquor and cigarettes with effect from midnight today (January 10).

Accordingly, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has directed the increase in excise duty on liquor with effect from January 11, 2025 by virtue of the powers vested in him by Section 22 of the Excise Ordinance (Chapter 52).

The order directs the following revisions: 

(1) Special Arrack manufactured in and issued from any licensed manufactory established in Sri Lanka shall be levied a duty at the rate of Rupees Seven Thousand Two Hundred and Forty Four (Rs. 7,244.00) per litre of alcohol;

(2) Molasses, Palmyrah, Coconut and Processed Arrack manufactured in and issued from any licensed manufactory established in Sri Lanka shall be levied a duty at the rate of Rupees Seven Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Two (Rs. 7,752.00) per litre of alcohol; 

(3) Country made “Foreign” spirits manufactured in Sri Lanka shall be levied a duty at the rate of Rupees Seven Thousand Nine Hundred and Sixty Nine (Rs. 7,969.00) per litre of alcohol; 

(4) Malt Liquor of Five per centum (5%) and below of absolute strength as indicated in the label, manufactured in and issued from any licensed brewery established in Sri Lanka shall be levied a duty at the rate of Rupees Five Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty Five (Rs. 5,735.00) per litre of alcohol; 

(5) Malt Liquor of more than Five per centum (5%) of absolute strength as indicated in the label, manufactured in and issued from any licensed brewery established in Sri Lanka shall be levied a duty at the rate of Rupees Six Thousand and Fifteen (Rs. 6,015.00) per litre of alcohol; 

(6) Liquors (other than toddy or any liquor made from any cereal) manufactured by process other than distillation of natural products of the Palm Tree or any other plant manufactured in Sri Lanka shall be levied a duty at the rate of Rupees Five Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty Five (Rs. 5,735.00) per litre of alcohol; 

(7) Liquors produced only from local plant materials or plant products or potable local animal milk, containing not more than Eighteen per centum (18%) by volume of alcohol manufactured by process other than distillation in Sri Lanka shall be levied a duty at the rate of Rupees One Thousand Five Hundred and Sixty Seven (Rs. 1,567.00) per litre of alcohol; 

(8) Country made Milk Punch manufactured in Sri Lanka shall be levied a duty at the rate of Rupees Three Thousand Nine Hundred and Eighty Two (Rs. 3,982.00) per litre of alcohol; 

(9) Country made Cider of not more than Four per centum (4%) of absolute strength as indicated in the label, manufactured in Sri Lanka shall be levied a duty at the rate of Rupees Four Thousand Three Hundred and Forty Seven (Rs. 4,347.00) per litre of alcohol; 

(10) The duty prescribed in (1) to (9) above shall not be levied or recovered on any quantity of the aforesaid liquor which is exported; and 

(11) The duty prescribed in (4) and (5) above shall not be levied or recovered on any quantity of such liquor issued from such brewery for the use of any Diplomatic Mission in Sri Lanka if payment for such quantity of Liquor is made from the foreign account of such Diplomatic Mission. 

Accordingly, the Excise Notification No. 04/2023 published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2364/35 dated December 31, 2023 is hereby rescinded. 

Meanwhile, the prices of cigarettes have been increased from tomorrow (January 11) in line with the increase in the Excise Duty imposed on cigarettes, according to the Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC). 

Accordingly, the prices of cigarettes have been increased under 4 categories by Rs. 05 and Rs. 10 per stick.