<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Inspired by the success of the 'Jawan' brand rum, the Kerala government is now all set to launch a brandy in the market.</p><p>The production of the brandy will begin at the state government agency Malabar Distilleries in Palakkad on February 21. The product is expected to reach the retail market within a few days.</p><p>It is learnt that the brandy will be named 'Malabar Mystery'. The namewas a suspense for a while as the brandy is caught up in a legal tangle following complaints of government agencies promoting liquor. </p>.Pro-liquor steps raise questions over Kerala LDF government's abstinence policy.<p>'Jawan' rum being brought out by state government agency Travancore Sugars and Chemicals has become a popular brand, especially among those preferring low priced brands. It is being sold for Rs 650 per litre and is known as a superior quality rum in that price range.</p><p>Hence, the tipplers and pinning high hopes that the brandy being brought out by the government agency will be also an affordable one with good quality.</p><p>Official sources said that a full automated production unit with a daily production capacity of 13,500 cases have been set up. The production will begin with half-litre bottles and in the due course quarter, full and one litre bottles will be made available. </p><p>The left-front government is going ahead with the launch of the brandy amidst criticisms that it was deviating from its stated policy of bringing down liquor consumption through abstinence and instead promoting liquor by extending working hours of bars and allowing more bars. Taxes from liquor, which is around 250 per cent, is a key revenue source for the government.</p><p>The government is justifying the decision to bring out new brandy citing that a defunct government agency is being revived and around 250 job opportunities are being created.</p><p>Started as Chittor co-operative sugar factory in 1952, the Malabar distilleries is situated in 113 acres of land at Menonpara in Palakkad - close to Tamil Nadu border. </p><p>By 2001 it stopped functioning as sugar and spirit production had to be stopped due to unavailability of raw materials like sugarcane. Later the state government took over it.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Inspired by the success of the 'Jawan' brand rum, the Kerala government is now all set to launch a brandy in the market.</p><p>The production of the brandy will begin at the state government agency Malabar Distilleries in Palakkad on February 21. The product is expected to reach the retail market within a few days.</p><p>It is learnt that the brandy will be named 'Malabar Mystery'. The namewas a suspense for a while as the brandy is caught up in a legal tangle following complaints of government agencies promoting liquor. </p>.Pro-liquor steps raise questions over Kerala LDF government's abstinence policy.<p>'Jawan' rum being brought out by state government agency Travancore Sugars and Chemicals has become a popular brand, especially among those preferring low priced brands. It is being sold for Rs 650 per litre and is known as a superior quality rum in that price range.</p><p>Hence, the tipplers and pinning high hopes that the brandy being brought out by the government agency will be also an affordable one with good quality.</p><p>Official sources said that a full automated production unit with a daily production capacity of 13,500 cases have been set up. The production will begin with half-litre bottles and in the due course quarter, full and one litre bottles will be made available. </p><p>The left-front government is going ahead with the launch of the brandy amidst criticisms that it was deviating from its stated policy of bringing down liquor consumption through abstinence and instead promoting liquor by extending working hours of bars and allowing more bars. Taxes from liquor, which is around 250 per cent, is a key revenue source for the government.</p><p>The government is justifying the decision to bring out new brandy citing that a defunct government agency is being revived and around 250 job opportunities are being created.</p><p>Started as Chittor co-operative sugar factory in 1952, the Malabar distilleries is situated in 113 acres of land at Menonpara in Palakkad - close to Tamil Nadu border. </p><p>By 2001 it stopped functioning as sugar and spirit production had to be stopped due to unavailability of raw materials like sugarcane. Later the state government took over it.</p>