⚖️ Legal Challenge Over Rice & Sugar Use in Sri Lankan Beer Production

• Legal Action & Hearing Date: The Court of Appeal has fixed 2 October to hear objections regarding a petition seeking to block regulators from approving rice and sugar as primary raw materials in beer production. • Regulatory & Legal Basis: Filed by licensed liquor sellers, the petition contends that Section 2 of the Excise Ordinance defines beer strictly as a malt-based beverage, rendering the use of rice and sugar as primary ingredients contrary to law. • Economic & Sector Impact: The petition highlights that diverting rice—supported by heavy state agricultural subsidies—to commercial brewing could jeopardize Sri Lanka's national food security, undermine domestic rice self-sufficiency goals, and misallocate public resources. • Key Parties Named: Respondents include the Commissioner General of Excise, Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and major liquor manufacturing companies.