Liquor from cashew: Excise rejects permission citing absence of rules

Thiruvananthapuram: There is severe backlash over the decision to grant permit for cooperatives to produce liquor with low alcohol content. The request filed by the Payyavoor cooperative bank to manufacture liquor from cashew apple was rejected by the excise department. The department has returned the request as there is no rules existing in the state to regulate the production of liquor with low alcohol content. The procedures to make laws for such liquor have been proceeding in the state. 

Measures to grant permission for foreign liquor production units and breweries are also proceeding here. The new applications were received without introducing any change in the rules even after cancelling several controversial contracts of breweries and distilleries in 2018. 

The state government had decided to reform the Kerala Brewery Rules in 1967 and Foreign Liquor Compounding, Blending and Bottling Rules in 1975. Though a committee chaired by additional chief secretary was formed for formulating amendments to the rules, the report has not been published or no action has been taken yet.