Cabinet nod for brewery in Palakkad: Kerala takes steps to cut spirit imports from other states

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala cabinet has approved the establishment of a brewery in Kanjikode, located in Palakkad. The decision also includes granting permission to Oasis Commercial Private Limited, a company based in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, to set up an ethanol plant, multi-feed distillation unit, Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) production unit, malt spirit plant, and brandy/winery plant. This initial approval is subject to the condition that all current guidelines and regulations are strictly adhered to.

The government had earlier highlighted the need to produce spirit locally in its excise policy. This cabinet decision aligns with that goal and aims to address the state’s dependence on spirit sourced from outside Kerala. OOasis Commercial Private Limited, a pioneer in this field, has been given approval to produce spirit locally.

Liquor manufacturing companies in the state had expressed concerns over the financial burden caused by importing spirit from other states. The local production of spirit is anticipated to reduce these expenses.

However, the decision to allow breweries to be set up by fraudulent companies during the first Pinarayi government turned out to be highly controversial. This decision led to widespread protests from the opposition and other groups. The backlash forced the government to reverse its earlier decision.

The current cabinet approval comes ahead of the budget session of the assembly, set to commence on Friday. The opposition is likely to raise objections to the issue once again.