A group of licensed liquor retailers in Sri Lanka has moved the Court of Appeal seeking to stop the use of rice and sugar as primary raw materials in beer production, arguing that the practice violates existing excise laws and could affect the country's food security.

The writ petition has been filed against several authorities, including the Commissioner General of Excise, officials of the Department of Excise, the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, the Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police, ADA derana reported.

According to the petitioners, the Excise Ordinance defines beer as a fermented alcoholic beverage produced from malt. They allege that many manufacturers are currently using rice and sugar as the main ingredients in beer production, which they claim goes against the legal definition under the excise law.

The petitioners further argued that rice cultivated with substantial public subsidies is being diverted into commercial activities such as beer manufacturing, placing additional pressure on the national economy.

They also claimed that the continued use of rice in beer production could create difficulties for Sri Lanka in achieving self-sufficiency in rice production.

In addition, the petition points to what the petitioners describe as outdated regulations by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution for monitoring alcohol production standards.