Finanace Ministry alerted over quality of vinegar produced in SL

Using artificial toddy with poisonous chemicals as ingredient

30 November 2020 08:23 am - 10 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The use of poisonous chemical concoction to produce artificial toddy, which is the key ingredient of manufacturing vinegar in Sri Lanka, has been brought to the knowledge of the State Minister of Finance, who admitted a tax leakage of Rs.40 billion per annum as a result, Excise sources said.

The issue was transpired when State Minister of Money Ajith Nivard Cabral was responding to a series of queries raised by opposition parliamentarian Buddhika Pathirana in the House last week, over the use of artificial or chemically brewed toddy to manufacture vinegar.

Minister Cabral said two methods are adopted to determine the quality of the toddy or ‘Maha Ra’ being used for the production of vinegar, which is either to send suspicious samples of artificial toddy to the Government Analyst or to perform a laboratory test within the local vinegar plants by the Excise officials.

Thus, he said that there wouldn’t be any room for the artificially brewed toddy to end up in vinegar industry.

For this MP Pathirana insisted that instead of depending on the data and reports prepared by the relevant authorities or the Excise officials, who were the competent authority in charge of monitoring the quality of toddy and vinegar in the country, the Minister should do an independent research on the actual situation of entering artificial toddy into the vinegar industry.

The MP further said that whatever the reports being made by the authorities regarding the regularization of toddy in the vinegar industry, the actual situation is far from that where a considerable amount of chemical toddy is entering into the industry, which a serious health hazard to the consumers.

State Minister Cabral however, agreed on conducting a research on this with the assistance of Excise and health officials as well as Consumer Affairs Authority too to determine whether the hazardous artificial toddy being used in vinegar manufacturing.

Many media reports in the recent past disclosed how toddy is illegally being produced by using merely Ammonia, Urea, sugar and wasted nickel cadmium batteries, as the actual supply of natural coconut toddy is barely sufficient for the vinegar industry. (KURULU KOOJANA KARIYAKARAWANA)

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Comments - 10

BigEars Monday, 30 November 2020 08:56 AM

හොදට තිබුන රටක්!

Kumaran, Wattala. Monday, 30 November 2020 12:57 PM

The minister should go into this rcomplain deeply and see the health of the consumers safeguarded.

Sudath Monday, 30 November 2020 01:19 PM

SL is the biggest drug hub of the world. The most sex searched country on Google. High fraud post for Visa, passport and financial scams. The most artful cheaters in the world. Still happy to use false balances in shops and dupe people with chemicals instead of curry powder. Known for swallowing up foreign aid in one gulp and receiving kickbacks even by selling the country. According to the ICC most corrupt Cricket nation in the world, and name anything downright evil...

Sudath Monday, 30 November 2020 01:22 PM

Almost all of our 'coconut' oil is adulterated with palm oil. That's why it emanates bad odor when cooked.

Sudath Monday, 30 November 2020 01:27 PM

The first place where cheating begins in SL is at the airport where the valuable luggage of foreigners is pilfered using sharp blades in connivance and collusion with the airport security. This has been happening for decades, but none cares...

Sudath Monday, 30 November 2020 01:36 PM

Sri Lanka is also a notorious destination for spurious pharma and expired food items. Racketeers know it's easy to bribe their way into the markets with their hazardous and harmful products. Perhaps it's time for DM to do some big investigative journalism and corner the corrupt lot.

Seeni Monday, 30 November 2020 02:06 PM

According to the latest AI report, SL is Asia's best nation for sextortion. So it is no surprise that you could get even poison approved as food here.

Dinesh a Monday, 30 November 2020 03:04 PM

do we have a quality president and cabinet in there first place where they make law

Prasad Tambiah Monday, 30 November 2020 04:03 PM

what is finanance

Samson Monday, 30 November 2020 04:17 PM

How can there be quality when vinegar and antiseptics are produced in the same premises.

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Finanace Ministry alerted over quality of vinegar produced in SL

Using artificial toddy with poisonous chemicals as ingredient

Comments - 10

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