• Compared to 2022 about 6.5 million litres of spirits were not produced in 2023  

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   
Meeting a record annual tax revenue target of Rs.232 billion for the year 2024 is questionable, as Sri Lanka’s liquor consumption has drastically decreased in recent years owing to its ever increasing prices, as revealed by the Chief of Excise Department.   

• Meeting Rs. 232 billion annual target for 2024 is questionable   

The country’s liquor production as compared to the year 2022 has dropped by 6.5million litres last year, which was a significant amount.   
The recently appointed Excise Commissioner General M J Gunasiri on his second tenure as the departmental head told the Daily Mirror, that alcoholic spirits production of 26.5 million litres in 2022 has been dropped to 20 million litres in 2023.   
He pointed out that as a result, the sales of 29 million bottles (750ml) of liquor, 54 million half bottles (375ml) and the most popular quarter bottles (180ml) had been reduced by 115 million during last year.   

The initial target of tax revenue charged from the alcoholic beverages had been set to Rs.217 billion for the Department of Excise last year by its competent authority the Ministry of Finance, was later revised to Rs.181 billion, he said.   
“However, fresh figures have been given by the Ministry of Finance for this year to achieve a target of Rs.232 billion, which is going to be questionable as the consumption is gradually reducing,” Gunasiri said.   
The Excise Chief said compared to January 2023, the total production of booze has reduced by 657, 000 litres last January.   
“We have already submitted reports to the Ministry of Finance to make them aware of this trend,” the Commissioner General said.