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| Tuesday, 23 November 2004 |
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Hybrid variety reintroduced to overcome situation: Inadequate supply of local descicated coconut losing forex by Shirajiv Sirimane The supply of local desiccated coconut is not adequate to meet the international demand and hence Sri Lanka is losing foreign exchange and employment opportunities. In a bid to overcome this situation the Coconut Research Institute has reintroduced a hybrid variety of coconut from the Philippines. This variety has a high yield of copra content and its kernel thickness too is high. The tree also has high resisting power against drought, which makes it suitable even to be grown outside the coconut triangle. According to the External Officer, Technology Transfer, Coconut Research Institute, Jagath Jayawardane the harvest of this coconut can be taken as early as five years and the life expectancy of the tree is over 70 years. The total coconut production in the country is between 2,500 to 3,000 million nuts per year and out of this over 1,800 million is utilised for local consumption. The average per capita consumption of a local is around 120 nuts. "Only less than 20 percent of local consumption is utilised for the process on desiccated coconut, which had a high foreign exchange yield," he said. Over 99 per cent of locally produced desiccated coconut is exported. There is an extensive program, which had been launched in the North East to popularise the growing of coconut. After the peace process residents in the area are keen in the agricultural sector and growing of coconut is increasing. The Institute has also decided to introduce a predator to stop the 'mite' pest problem in the coconut plantations. "This disease is fast spreading in the Chilaw area and coconut and specially king coconut plantations are severely affected," he said. However in contrast the coconut industry is facing a major problem with the felling of trees for housing to obtain it wood. "Unfortunately most of this is happening in the areas within the Coconut Triangle such as Gampaha, Marawila and Kurunegala areas. The Coconut Cultivation Board in a bid to check this trend is hoping to submit a Cabinet Paper in order to introduce a levy on direct sales or auction of coconut lands to discourage land sales. Coconut output grew by 7 per cent reaching 2,562 million nuts and improvement was seen mostly in the second half due to the weather. The export of kernel products increased significantly recently while copra exports increased by 44 per cent and the export of fresh nuts too rose by 42 per cent |
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