Excise department orders bakeries to stock and sell hortiwine UDF govt in controversy

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government on Sunday moved swiftly to distance itself from a politically controversial Excise Department order that allowed a bakery in Thrissur’s Chalakudy to stock and sell hortiwine, a mildly intoxicating 15% alcoholic drink made from agricultural produce other than food grains.

Officials told The Hindu that Chief Minister VD Satheesan raised red flags over an “unconsulted” order that allowed a bakery to buy a few cases of hortiwine from the bonded warehouse of the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) for regular sales in the run-up to Christmas and New Year, raising the specter of booze and also unregulated Kerala. liquor policy.

Subsequently, Excise Minister M. Liju withdrew the license and sought a report from the Excise Commissioner. Mr Liju later told reporters that the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government amended the Foreign Liquor Rules in 2024 to allow bakeries, supermarkets and shopping malls to display and sell hortiwine for an annual license fee.

“Prima facie, the excise department issued the license in accordance with normal rules. However, the decision prima facie violated the prerogative of the government to formulate policy. The government took a serious view of the faux pas,” he said.

Former excise minister and member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) state secretariat MB Rajesh called the government’s retreat “a political ploy that drew applause and a sign of administrative dysfunction that is blighting the UDF”.

He said the LDF government has released the Kerala Small Winery Rules in 2022 to legalize the production of hortiwine as a value-added product to help farmers get better prices for their produce, especially jackfruit, banana, pineapple, mango and tender coconut. Mr Rajesh said the LDF subsequently amended the Foreign Liquor Rules in January 2024 to allow bakeries to stock and sell hortiwine.

“However, the LDF government has not issued a single license to allow the sale of hortiwine through outlets without a foreign liquor retail licence, keeping in mind the social sensitivities involved,” Mr Rajesh said.

Notably, in June 2026, the UDF government similarly wandered into a socio-political minefield by blasting the sale of substandard starter drinks or alcopops – ready-to-drink canned fruit-flavoured soda containing a small percentage of alcohol – in the budget.

The move drew criticism from the church and Muslim social organizations. Congress leader and prohibition activist VM Sudheeran demanded scrapping of the “non-consultation” budget proposal.

Various left-leaning trade unions also opposed the proposal, arguing that the sale of alcopop would sound the death knell for the ailing traditional sector.

Published – 18 Oct 2026 16:53 IST