Beer Mafia Exert Pressure on Ravi

Ceylon Breweries  at Biyagama was closed  down  following flooding recently. But  it had recovered losses through the insurance cover.

Owned by the Selvanathan family, the company managed to obtain a four-month concession, which is a Rs. 200 reduction out of the Rs. 500 Customs levy per litre of imported beer.  On the other hand the country loses nearly Rs. 07 billion in excise income.

Ceylon Breweries was given the relief with the mediation of a top government figure and two ministers, one of whom is closely related to a head of the company.

The Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake  according to the gazette dated August 26, imposed  per litre tax on beer is Rs. 50, on wine Rs. 100 and hard liquor Rs. 200, effective from September 01. As a result of these taxes, leading beer importer Ceylon Breweries has become concerned.

However, with the new tax, the company claims it will suffer losses and has asked a top government authority to immediately withdraw the tax.

It has decided not to get clearance for the hundreds of container loads of beer it had imported and presently with the custom, until the new tax is withdrawn.

Hence,  Ravi  is under pressure by a brewer to remove the excise taxes on imported beer, wines and hard liquor, a media reported.