Excise Dept. targets USD 50 mn from liquor exports
Sri Lanka hopes to get around USD 50 million export revenue from locally made liquor sales in 2023, Commissioner General of Excise Department of Sri Lanka, M.J. Gunasiri said.
He said that last year Sri Lanka got around USD 25 million by selling Sri Lankan produced liquor overseas. “However this year due to several local and global issues the foreign sales would not reach a high amount but we expect this to pick up next year.”
He said the Department has also decided to introduce local quality contrails to coconut and Palmayrah toddy which in turn will help to include these two products to the local export basket as well. “Today there is no proper standalization for toddy and exporting them under current quality standards is not viable. ‘This is why we decided to introduce some standards for these two products starting from this year.’
He also disclosed that the department has already commenced work on building a testing and a quality control laboratory which will also enable the department to enhance quality of today. With these in place we hope to woo around USD 50 million revenue, from locally made spirit sales from next year.
Currently Sri Lankan liquor is exported to 34 countries and main revenue comes from sale of beer.