Kerala, renowned for its cultural richness and natural beauty, is at the cusp of transformative changes in its liquor policy. As per the Kerala Abkari Act, 1967, "toddy" denotes the liquid derived from coconut, palmyra, date, or any other palm tree, regardless of whether it has undergone fermentation, and falls under the umbrella term of "liquor". Among tourists, it is commonly recognised as "coconut wine.
" Toddy is a highly regulated product that can be sold only via toddy shops licenced, approved and auctioned by the Excise department in the state. The trees from which toddy is tapped are also marked by the department. The liquor policy 2023-24 has provisions for the rebranding of Kerala toddy and the expansion of the toddy market to hotels, resorts, etc.
rather than confining it to toddy shops alone. The government’s attitude towards the promotion of toddy as a natural beverage can be seen in their submission to the Supreme Court in 2016 in the case of banning liquor shops within 500 metres of national and state highways across the country. On this directive, the Kerala government demanded the exemption of toddy.
Interestingly, the state took the stance in the court that toddy is "a very mild alcoholic beverage, full of vitamins and used in traditional dishes." (Sinha,B.2016) Longstanding government intervention in the toddy market has been a problematic approach that has seriously disrupted the market economy (CPPR, 2014).
Efforts to revitalise and regulate the toddy in.