Colombo, April 1 -- The Excise Department of Sri Lanka yesterday ordered all 26 soft and hard liquor manufacturing companies in the country to print the production date of their spirits on the respective bottles and cans with effect from April 1st.

Sending a special circular to all licenced liquor sellers last Friday, the Commissioner General of Excise said that all liquor manufacturers in the country had been ordered to print their production date either on bottles or cans and the sellers should be mindful of accepting new stocks only with the printed date.

When contacted Excise Chief U L Udaya Kumara Perera told the Daily Mirror that 25 hard liquor manufacturing companies and the beer manufactory company had been ordered to include th...