Kerala is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. It's also known for its unique culture, which includes a strong tradition of alcohol consumption. The state has implemented several policies over the years that have been controversial, from banning foreign liquor to limiting the sale of alcohol on Sundays—but how did we get here?
Kerala's liquor policy is a complex one. It's not just the law that affects drinking in Kerala, but also how people live and work with alcohol. The history of Kerala's alcohol policy can be traced back to colonial times, when British officials banned toddy (a local form of alcohol made from fermented sap) production in 1799. The ban continued until 1947 when it was lifted and toddy production resumed as part of post-independence efforts to revive local industries after World War II had left them devastated by imports from other countries like Britain or Germany. In order to maintain control over this industry—and its workers—the government enacted laws banning toddy production except under certain conditions; one such condition being that it must be produced only within your own home premises with no outside help involved whatsoever!
Kerala, an Indian state, is home to both arrack and toddy. Arack and toddy are both distilled beverages manufactured from palm or coconut sap, respectively. Arack is manufactured by yeast fermentation at low temperatures, whereas toddy is prepared using pressure cooking to extract the juice from coconut blossoms or palm tree nuts (the latter requires more labour).
The rise of foreign liquor
The rise of foreign liquor in Kerala has been a part of the history since its inception. It was during the British rule that this practice started to grow and become popular among people. This is one reason why today you can find many bars and pubs in Kerala serving alcoholic beverages from all over the world, including India itself!
The history and evolution of Kerala’s alcohol policy is a contentious issue. Since the 1970s, it has been a source of controversy. In 1975, the first liquor policy was introduced by then Chief Minister EK Nayanar who issued an order banning alcohol sales in all public places except those with restaurants or shops selling alcoholic beverages. This order was revised later in 2015 by K Karunakaran government following which he issued another order allowing sale of liquor only after 10pm on festive days like Christmas and New Year’s Eve. After being elected as chief minister once again in 2016 with BJP support, Pinarayi Vijayan announced his intention to make Kerala “the first state without prohibition” by 2020 through a new Liquor Policy 2017 (LPS). It would be implemented across all districts except three (Kollam city, Thrissur and Malappuram) where private sale is allowed under licence granted by MCI or other regulatory bodies such as State Excise Department etc
The 2016 policy was a total prohibition policy. It was implemented in April 2016, after the state government's decision to ban all forms of liquor. A month later, it was withdrawn and reinstated in 2017. In 2018, it was withdrawn again for good.
The Kerala State Beverages Corporation, which operates as Kerala's sole liquor producer, has been working towards bringing down prices and increasing quality control at its factories through a new strategy called "One Bottle One Brand." This means that all bottles sold in Kerala will be from one factory and have to meet certain standards like being sealed correctly or having a tamper-proof seal on it. The aim is to ensure that consumers get what they pay for—and that companies don't try to pass off inferior products as their own by labeling them differently (for example: "Kerala" instead of "India").
The state of Kerala has a long and complicated history with alcohol. The great-great grandfather who first brought it to the region was an alcoholic by all accounts, but he had a profound impact on how we drink today. In his time, drinking in itself wasn't considered particularly harmful—it was only after he introduced rum that things started changing for patrons of taverns and bars across Kerala. But even then, there were still many people who believed that wine was good for you! That's why it took so long for them to accept the fact that drinking too much is bad for your health—that's just human nature at work here: We like what tastes good and we don't want anything else interfering with our enjoyment of that pleasure; so naturally enough when something new comes along like rum or whiskey (which were both imported), people start thinking twice about whether those drinks might actually be doing more harm than good...
The Keralan administration has moved in the right way. It deserves praise for formulating a strategy that restricts alcohol consumption while also fostering expansion of regional sectors like rice farming and tourism. It's crucial to clarify, however, that this regulation solely applies to state-run liquor stores and has no bearing on the selling of alcohol at privately owned facilities or the consumption of alcohol by Indians who do not reside in the state (NRIs). The state government may need to consider further measures to curtail drinking, such as limiting the daily amount that can be purchased per person.