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Budget blow to palmyra toddy in the North
Palmyra toddy sales have dropped by 50 percent in the Jaffna Peninsula after beer prices were slashed in the Budget 2018.
Before the Budget, at least 1,000 bottles were sold in the outlets in the peninsula, but the volume had now now dropped to about 500, claims S. Selliah, Secretary of the Palmyra Coconut Development Cooperative Society (Kondavil Society).
There are 19 such societies in the peninsula. During peak season, unsold toddy is bottled by these societies and sold to liquor outlets. Mr Selliah said that after the reduction of beer prices, most of the toddy consumers had switched over to beer because it was cheaper.
“We pay Rs 50 for a bottle of tapped toddy. Currently, a bottle of toddy is sold at Rs. 100. Some 18,000 northern families are dependent on the toddy industry. If this trend continues, these families, who are already facing severe economic difficulties, will become even poorer,” he said.
He also claimed many youngsters had also taken to beer drinking after the price reduction.