SL's annual coconut consumption over one million

Suraj A Bandara

The annual coconut consumption in Sri Lanka is reportedly over one million where as coconut production last year was only 1,002,016 nuts which resulted in a coconut shortage, Coconut Development Minister Jagath Pushpakumara said.

He said Sri Lanka produces 30,000 tonnes of coconut oil annually to meet the national requirement. One ton of coconut oil takes 90,000 coconuts. In addition, coconuts are used for many edible products and some are even exported, he said.

He was addressing an awareness campaign for state officials at the Minipe Provincial Secretariat, Kandy. The function was held in keeping with the Coconut Development Ministry's Kapruka Purawara which is being held countrywide to promote coconut cultivation.

"Coconut production in the country last year was limited creating a sudden increase in coconut prices, he said.

"When the population increases housing demand also increases. The bulk of coconut trees are needed to find rafters and beams for houses. A number of coconut trees are cut for this purpose," he said.

He added that the Coconut Development Ministry will take steps to promote and increase coconut production in the country. The government has allocated Rs 228 million to grant fertilizer subsidy to coconut farmers. This would encourage local farmers to grow more coconut trees as the population increases, he said.

The minister added that the Coconut Research Centre which was established in 1929 at Lunuwila is still the only resource that helps secure coconut cultivation. There are only 114 officials out of which 60 percent are above 60 functioning at the centre.

A Cabinet memorandum has been submitted to grant approval to recruit one coconut development officer to each agrarian service region, he added.