While Sri Lankan law usually states that the extraction of palm
wine is prohibited except from kithul palms, palmyra trees and coconut palms, a recent gazette notification about amendments to excise duties omitted palmyra and coconut palms in the exemptions, it adds.
The ban would affect the livelihoods of over 12,000 families in the North alone according to the Palm & Coconut Resource Development Coop.
The organization's spokesperson criticized the law as an attack on an ancient Tamil trade.
Unions have highlighted that the law would leave only Tamil toddy extractors destitute, as kithul palms which are common in the South are not native to Tamil regions, the website further says.
Applicable only to those who don’t have licenses
When contacted, deputy excise commissioner Kapila Kumarasinghe said the new law would be applicable only to those who extract toddy without licenses.
The quality of toddy has declined due to its production not being regulated for around there years, according to him.
The new law will bring toddy extraction under state supervision, he said.
A collapse in toddy extraction will also affect the distilling of arrack from toddy spirit and the toddy tavern trade too, Kumarasinghe added.
more>>>
http://www.srilankamirror.com/news/5582-north-s-unions-angered-by-proposed-toddy-ban-report
