State Minister of Finance, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya claimed Sri Lanka’s legal alcohol consumption will plummet 20 to 30% in 2022 as inflation rises amid an economic crisis.
During a visit to the agency, he stated it had attained 65% of its target.
He said taxes make nearly 75% of alcohol prices.
Tobacco was 65 to 75%.
Siyambalapitiya claimed activists wanted him to raise it to 90%.
Sri Lanka’s moonshine industry is vast.
Excessive tariffs on cigarettes gave rise to a “beedi” sector, where low-income breadwinners evade paying high taxes as a proportion of their salaries.