Toddy tapping from Coconut and Palmyrah trees has been brought under license with amendment proposed to Section 15 of the Excise Ordinance (Chapter 52) by the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media. Cabinet approval has been granted for this amendment.
Though the license is 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. With this, 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 new amendment, no toddy shall be drawn or lowered from Coconut or Palmyrah trees without a license issued by the Dept. of Excise or by the respective Divisional Secretaries. However, toddy tapping from the Kithul tree has been exempted from the provision of the licensing requirement.
- Ministry of Finance and Mass Media
