By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

The increase in liquor license fees will not affect the retail selling prices of liquor, Excise Department Commissioner Kapila Kumarasinghe said.  
Addressing the media, he said there is no capability of increasing liquor prices along with the liquor license fee increase.  

Compared to other commercial commodities, there is a decline in the sale of liquor in the local market.  “However, there is an increase in illegal liquor manufacturing in the country. Therefore, the Excise Department has decided to continue legal liquor manufacturing and regulate it while maintaining the law,” the Commissioner said.  

He said the Department is hoping to discourage illegal manufacture of liquor while encouraging legal liquor manufactures.