The Abkari Act has been amended to permit the sale of toddy within the premises of three-star hotels and above, including their swimming pools. An annual fee of Rs. 10,000 will be required for this.

Toddy can now be served along with meals in hotel restaurants and on their patios, albeit it remains restricted in family restaurants. The initiative aims to promote toddy as Kerala's traditional alcoholic beverage, under the name ‘Kerala Toddy’.

Hotels granted autonomy in determining toddy prices

Hotels are permitted to extract toddy from coconut trees that are grown within the premises for direct sale. Both sweet and fermented toddy can be retailed, with a shelf life of 48 hours, after which it must be disposed. Daily toddy harvesting must be meticulously recorded to avoid a fine of Rs. 50,000 for unauthorized sales.

The sale of toddy is permitted between 11 am and 11 pm, extending to 12 am at tourism centers. Businesses lacking a bar license can also apply for toddy sales. However, sale on dry days is strictly prohibited.

Despite the established regulations, no applications for toddy sales have been received. The daily requirement of toddy cutting poses a challenge, hindering its implementation.