The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Infrastructure has initiated urgent discussions to introduce a fair minimum price (Floor Price) for coconuts, aimed at protecting farmers while ensuring consumers receive coconuts at fair market rates.

The meeting, chaired by Minister Samantha Vidyaratna recently, focused on stabilizing the industry amid falling global coconut prices that have pressured local purchase rates. 

Officials stressed that immediate measures are needed to safeguard both farmer incomes and market stability.

Minister Vidyaratna highlighted the government’s national target of raising annual coconut production to 4,200 million nuts by 2030 and boosting export earnings from coconut‑based products to USD 1.5 billion. 

He underscored the importance of strengthening local farmers, protecting plantations, reducing production costs, and maintaining price stability to achieve these goals.

The Minister also directed that a broad consultation be convened urgently with the Coconut Cultivation Board, Coconut Development Authority, Coconut Research Institute, farmers, processors, and other stakeholders to take swift decisions on price control and sustainable industry development. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Plantation and Rural Infrastructure has entered into a strategic partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and the Australian Government to boost the country’s coconut industry and accelerate export growth.

A cooperation agreement between the Ministry and IFC was signed today (28 Jan) by Ministry Secretary Prabath Chandrakeerthi and IFC’s South Asia Regional Manager Gregory Smith. 

According to the Ministry of Plantation, the initiative aims to enhance the global competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s coconut sector through targeted technical support, policy dialogue, and capacity building across the value chain.

Sri Lanka earned USD 1,233 million in export revenue from the coconut industry in 2025, making it a key contributor to the agricultural economy, rural employment, and foreign exchange.

IFC will work closely with the Coconut Research Institute (CRI), Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB), and Coconut Development Authority (CDA) to support farmers and stakeholders, with special focus on expanding cultivation in the Northern Province. 

The programme also seeks to integrate sustainable agricultural practices and gender-inclusive training.

Overall, the partnership is expected to help Sri Lanka meet rising international demand for coconuts while ensuring a sustainable future for local producers. (Newswire)

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Steps will be taken to plant 2.5 million coconut saplings across the country this year, Chairman of the Coconut Cultivation Board Sunimal Jayakody said. 

Speaking to the media, Sunimal Jayakody stated that the ‘World Coconut Day’ celebrations will be held on 02nd September.

He further said that the event will be held next month under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. (Newswire)

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Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyaratna says the program titled “Kapruk Saviya: A Steady Strength for the Nation” is being implemented with the expectation of increasing Sri Lanka’s coconut revenue to USD 1,500 million by the year 2030. 

Minister Samantha Vidyaratna said the “Kap Thuru Saviya” project will be launched on 02nd September, coinciding with World Coconut Day. 

He further said that alongside this celebration, a new phase of development will begin in the Northern Coconut Triangle under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and the launch will take place in Pudukuduirippu.

The minister went on to note that in 2025, 16,000 acres of coconut will be cultivated in the North, developing the Jaffna, Mullaitivu, and Mannar triangle as the Northern Coconut Triangle.

In 2026, another 16,000 acres will be cultivated, and in 2027, 8,000 acres. By 2027, the North will have 50,000 acres of coconut cultivation. Plans are also in place to cultivate 20,000 acres in other regions. Coconut seedlings will be provided under a subsidy scheme at Rs. 150 per plant, he said. 

Minister Samantha Vidyaratna further revealed that as part of the home garden coconut cultivation program, 500,000 seedlings will be distributed, two per household, stating that the aim is to implement coconut cultivation under a targeted policy.

He made the remarks yesterday (25) during a media briefing held at the Government Information Department.

“Although coconut, a major plantation crop, has earned significant export income for the country, in recent times, the harvest has not even been sufficient for domestic consumption. Coconut prices rose, causing hardship for the public. This situation arose due to the lack of proper attention and strategic planning in the coconut cultivation sector. The current government has developed strategic plans for the coconut and other plantation sectors. Accordingly, a five-year strategic plan has been formulated in collaboration with UNIDO for the coconut sector. 

Stating that plans are in place to increase the coconut harvest and revenue by 2030, he revealed that in 2024, the coconut harvest was 2,754 million nuts, while the annual requirement is 3,000 million nuts. 

Pointing out that by 2030, this amount will not be sufficient, he said the plan is to raise the harvest to 4,200 million nuts.

Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyaratna elaborated further on the steps being taken by the government.

Due to the shortage in 2024, approximately 200 million coconuts had to be imported through cabinet approval to meet industrial and consumption needs.

This results in dollars flowing out of the country. The recent economic crisis affected many industries, including the coconut industry. To revive these sectors, work must be done under a proper plan, hence the five-year strategy.

Last year, the coconut industry earned USD 854 million. The goal is to increase this to USD 1,500 million by 2030. In the past, coconut trees were not properly cared for as the water supply and fertilizer application were inadequate. For the first time, farmers have been provided with subsidized coconut fertilizer.

Discussions with Russia led to the acquisition of MOP fertilizer, which needs to be blended with two other types to convert it into coconut fertilizer. Currently, coconut fertilizer priced at around Rs. 9,500 per bag in the market is being provided at a subsidized rate of Rs. 4,000.

For the past four to five years, even government coconut plantations have not received fertilizer. Unlike other crops, coconut does not yield immediately after fertilization, it takes about one and a half years. Therefore, the current coconut crisis is expected to persist for a while. Plans are in place to provide continuous fertilizer subsidies and ensure proper water supply.

According to the Coconut Research Institute, a side-bearing tree can yield 45–55 nuts. Other countries achieve higher yields. With proper fertilization, irrigation, and pest control, Sri Lankan coconut trees could potentially yield up to 80 nuts.

This special project has been named “Kap Thuru Saviya.” It will be launched on September 2nd, coinciding with World Coconut Day. Alongside this celebration, a new phase of development will begin in the Northern Coconut Triangle. Under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the launch will take place in Pudukuduirippu. In 2025, 16,000 acres of coconut will be cultivated in the North, developing the Jaffna, Mullaitivu, and Mannar triangle as the Northern Coconut Triangle.

In 2026, another 16,000 acres will be cultivated, and in 2027, 8,000 acres. By 2027, the North will have 50,000 acres of coconut cultivation. Plans are also in place to cultivate 20,000 acres in other regions. Coconut seedlings will be provided under a subsidy scheme at Rs. 150 per plant.

As part of the home garden coconut cultivation program, 500,000 seedlings will be distributed, two per household. The aim is to implement coconut cultivation under a targeted policy.

Next year, plantation crops are expected to generate USD 6 billion in revenue. A program to rehabilitate abandoned coconut and rubber estates will begin next year. Steps will also be taken to promote king coconut cultivation within the coconut industry. (Newswire)

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The Government Information Department quoting the Coconut Development authority has reported a significant decrease in coconut prices.

The price of a fresh coconut was reported at Rs. 143 per coconut, at Colombo’s weekly fresh coconut auction, the Department said. (Newswire)

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The first shipment of imported coconut milk has arrived in Sri Lanka under the Government’s raw material importation initiative aimed at supporting coconut-based industries. The consignment, which includes frozen coconut milk, coconut milk powder, and chunked coconut with testa, is equivalent to 200 million coconuts.

The stock is set to undergo customs clearance and laboratory testing.

Approved by the Cabinet based on a joint proposal from the Ministries of Plantations and Industries, the programme is intended to ease raw material shortages in the coconut milk powder industry, reduce domestic coconut prices, and support local manufacturers. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s coconut industry is set to expand under a European Union-backed 10-year strategic plan aimed at reaching a USD 2 billion dollar export target.

The European Union (EU), through the UNIDO-implemented BESPA-FOOD project, is
supporting Sri Lanka’s coconut industry in implementing a comprehensive ten-year strategic
plan and a roadmap aimed at transforming the sector into a USD 2 billion export powerhouse.

The Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure recently convened key public and
private sector stakeholders, including the Coconut Development Authority (CDA), Coconut
Research Institute (CRI), the Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB), and the Ceylon Chamber of
Coconut Industries (CCCI), for an inception workshop to chart the way forward.

To ensure rapid progress, a select committee comprising key public and private sector
representatives, chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry, will meet in mid-February to review
the workshop’s input and formulate the next steps, including the development of the
roadmap.

“Sri Lanka’s coconut industry is at a crucial juncture. While we face immediate challenges in
production and supply, this roadmap provides a structured approach to ensure our sector’s
global competitiveness and sustainability,” stated the Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation
and Community Infrastructure, Mr. Prabath Chandrakeerthi.

The EU-funded BESPA-FOOD Project is providing vital technical expertise and support to
tackle challenges such as productivity constraints, value addition, and quality
enhancements.

Dr. Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Unionto Sri
Lanka, emphasized the EU’s commitment to fostering sustainable economic development
through innovation and partnerships like BESPA-FOOD. He stated that “clear, actionable
steps are essential for boosting productivity, improving quality, and empowering rural
communities.”

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), tasked with formulating the roadmap, will incorporate
input from the industry stakeholders to address current market pressures while building long-
term resilience. The plan will specifically focus on strengthening domestic production,
improving supply chain efficiency and value addition, and enhancing the industry’s ability to
meet growing international demand. (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that the ongoing coconut shortage is a result of the lack of a proper government policy to develop coconut cultivation.  

The Prime Minister speaking in Parliament said that the current government is working on formulating a comprehensive policy to address the issue and has already implemented several short-term programs to support the sector.  

As part of these efforts, the government has allocated additional funding in this year’s budget to develop coconut cultivation.  

The Prime Minister further noted that institutions under the Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure are implementing measures to enhance local coconut production. 

These include conducting tests for high-yield coconut varieties, identifying effective agricultural practices, offering technical advice to manage diseases and pests, and submitting policy recommendations to strengthen the coconut sector.  (Newswire)

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The government has approved measures to import coconut kernel products and dried coconut pieces to support local industries and consumers amid a coconut production shortfall.

The Cabinet instructed the Ministries of Industries and Plantation to explore immediate imports while ensuring compliance with legal provisions.

Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayathissa said that the decision was
“The annual requirement of coconuts is around 3,000 coconuts in Sri Lanka. However, the total production in Sri Lanka in 2024 was around 2,650 million coconuts,” the Minister said. The Minister said the low yield was due to adverse weather, pests and fertiliser issues. 1400 million of these coconuts are generally used for industrial purposes, while 1500 are for domestic consumption, Minister Jayathissa said.

Following consultations with relevant authorities, including the Department of Agriculture and the Coconut Development Authority, guidelines were established for importing chilled coconut kernel, dried coconut pieces with coconut (Non-copra) coconut milk, milk powder, and desiccated coconut, the government said.

Accordingly, the Cabinet has approved importing the equivalent of 200 million coconuts to stabilize the market and sustain coconut-based industries. (Newswire)

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Coconut prices have surged in Malaysia amid a shortage caused by unfavourable weather, prompting state and community leaders to urge Thaipusam participants to break fewer coconuts during the colourful Hindu festival this month.

Batu Caves Hindu temple committee chairman R Nadarajah said he would personally advise devotees to break only one coconut, reported news outlet the Malay Mail on Sunday (Feb 2).

“As long as you do it with genuine devotion, the number of coconuts doesn’t matter,” he reportedly said.

Thaipusam is a public holiday in Malaysia and falls on Feb 11 this year. It is dedicated to Lord Murugan, and the breaking of coconuts is a cleansing ritual and symbolises the surrender of one’s ego.

Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow and the Consumers’ Association of Penang have issued similar calls.

“Devotees should be more economical so their use of coconuts on Thaipusam does not affect food security for the masses,” said Chow at a welfare group’s Chinese New Year event on Friday.

NV Subbarow, education officer of the Consumers’ Association of Penang, urged devotees on Jan 23 to break fewer coconuts “due to a shortage of coconuts which will result in even pricier coconuts this year”.

Many participants, who include members of the Chinese community, “mistakenly think that the more coconuts they break, the more luck is showered upon them”, he said in a statement on the association’s website.

Malaysian coconuts now cost up to RM3.90 (US$0.88) each, compared to RM2.60 previously, he told the New Straits Times on Saturday. Those from Indonesia cost up to RM3 each, he said.

The shortage of coconuts has been making headlines in Malaysia due to higher demand during Chinese New Year and Thaipusum celebrations, as well as the fasting month of Ramadan – expected to begin on either Feb 28 or Mar 1 – and Hari Raya Puasa. (CNA)

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Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe has issued a clarification following a viral video clip of his remarks on coconut usage in Sri Lanka. 

Addressing the matter, he stated that his comments were aimed at highlighting the untapped economic potential of coconut exports.

In a detailed statement, Abeysinghe acknowledged the cultural and culinary significance of coconuts in Sri Lankan households, citing dishes like coconut sambol and coconut milk-based curries as integral to local cuisine.

He pointed out that industrial methods can extract up to 75% of coconut milk, compared to just 30% in traditional household practices. 

He also highlighted inefficiencies in domestic coconut usage, which he argued could be reallocated to boost export revenues. 

Currently, Sri Lanka earns $850 million annually from the coconut industry, with the potential to increase it to $1 billion.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to developing the coconut industry and increasing its contribution to the national economy. 

Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe’s full statement:

ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ලෝකයේ වැඩිම පොල් පාරිභෝජනය කරන රටවල් අතරින් එකකි. අපේ ආහාර රටාව සහ පොල් අතර ඇත්තේ ආත්මීය බැඳීමක් යැයි කීම වඩාත් නිවැරදිය. විදෙස්ගත ශ්‍රී ලාංකිකයකුගෙන් කෑමට කැමැතිම කෑම කුමක්ද ඇසුවොත් ලැබෙන උත්තරය පොල් සම්බෝල, කරවල බැදුම සමග කැකුළු බත් ය. 

පොල් සහ අප අතර බැඳීම ආහාරයකටත් එහා ගිය රසවත් මතකයකි. 

එසේම කිරි හොද්දටද අපේ ආහාර පුරුද්දේදි හිමිවන්නේ ඉහළම තැනකි. එයද අතින් මිරිකා ගත් පොල්වලින් සෑදීම දිවට සේම හිතටද එක් කරන්නේ මිහිරකි.

කෙස් නමුත් අපගේ සම්ප්‍රදායික පුරුදු සහ අතීතකාමි මිහිර හේතුවෙන් රටේ ආර්ථිකයක අපනයන විභවයට ඇති අවස්ථාව ඇහිරී යන්නේ කෙසේද කියා සිහි කළ යුතුය. 

පොල්, කර්මාන්තයක් ලෙස ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට විදේශ විනිමය උපයාගත හැකි ඉතා වටිනා මාර්ගයක් ලෙස හඳුනා ගත හැකිය. දැනට $මිලියන 850ක් දක්වා වර්ධනය වී ඇත

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ සමස්ත පොල් ඵලදාව බිලියන තුනක් අවට අගයකි. ඉන් බිලියන 1.6ත් 1.8ත් අතර ප්‍රමාණයක් යොදාගන්නේ දේශීය ආහාර පාරිභෝජනයට ය. ඉතිරිය කර්මාන්තයක් ලෙස පොල්තෙල්, පිටි කළ පොල් කිරි, පොල් ක්‍රීම් ලෙසින් අපනයන අගය එකතු කිරීම් සහ අපනයනය සඳහා භාවිතා කරන්නේය. 

ගෘහස්ත පාරිභෝජනයේදි සාම්ප්‍රදායික ලෙස අතින් පොල් මිරිකා කිරි ලබාගැනීමේදි පොල් මදයෙන් උපරිමව ලැබෙන්නේ 30% ක් වැනි අගයකි. නමුත් කර්මාන්තයක් ලෙස යන්ත්‍රානුසාරයෙන් පොල් මිරිකා ගැනීමේදි 75%ට ඉහළ අගයකින් කිරි ලබා ගැනීමට හැකිය. 

මේ වනවිට පොල් කර්මාන්තයෙන් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට වාර්ෂිකව ඩොලර් මිලියන 850 උපයා දෙන්නේය. ඉන් පොල් මදයෙන් කෙරන නිෂ්පාදනවලට සමානවම අගයකින් පොල් කට්ට සහ පොල් ලෙල්ල ආශ්‍රිතව කෙරෙන නිෂ්පාදනවලින්ද අපනයන ආදායමක් ලැබෙන්නේය. පොල් වතුර ද ඉතා හොඳ ඩොලර් උල්පතකි.

පොල් බහුල ලෙස ගෘහස්ත පාරිභෝජනයට ගැනීමෙන් මූලිකවම පොල් කටු, පොල් වතුර සහ පොල් ලෙලි හරහා ලබාගත හැකි ආදායමක් අහිමි වී යන්නේය. එසේම, කාර්මිකව නිපදවන පොල් කිරි ප්‍රමාණයකට පොල් ගෙඩියක් වැය වද්දි ගෘහස්තව පොල් මිරිකා එම ප්‍රමාණයේ කිරි ලබාගැනීමට පොල් ගෙඩි දෙක හමාරක් වැය කළ යුතුය. 

එසේම අපේ පොල් වගාවේ ඵලදායිතාවද ඇත්තේ සාපේක්ෂව ඉතා පහළ අගයකය. කේරළයේ පොල් ගසතින් වාර්ෂිකව සාමාන්‍ය  පොල් ගෙඩි 110ක් ලැබෙද්දි අපේ පොල් ගසකින් ලැබෙන්නේ ගෙඩි 50කි. නිසි පරිදි වගාවට පොහාර නොයෙදීම, ජලය නොදෑමීම, ඉඩම් කට්ටිය, රිලවුන් – දඬු ලේනුන් වැනි සතුන්ගෙන් සිදුවන හානිය සේම පසුගිය වසර කීපයේ සිදුවූ කාළගුණික විපර්යාසද පොල් ඵලදායිතාව තවත් අඩු කරවීමට හේතු විය. 

පොල් කර්මාන්තයේ ඉල්ලුමට අවශ්‍ය තරම් පොල් හිඟවීම අපට ඩොලර් අදායාම වැඩි කරගැනීමට ඇති ප්‍රධානම බාදකයකි. 

ගෘහස්ත පාරිභෝජනයේදි පොල් කිරි ලබාගැනීමට අතින් මිරිකා ගැනීම වෙනුවට බ්ලෙන්ඩර් කිරීමට යොමු වීම සහ පොල් වෙනුවට පිටිකළ පොල් හා පොල් කිරි වෙත පාරිභෝගිකයින් යොමු වීමට හැකිනම් පොල් අපනයන කර්මාන්තයේ අවශ්‍යතාවට සරිලන සැපයුම වැඩිකර කර්මාන්තය තවත් වර්ධණය කළ හැකිය. 

මෙමෙ ක්‍රියාවට මේ වන විට නාගරික නිවෙස් යොමුවී ඇත. එමගින් කාලය හා කසල ගැටලුව අවම වී ඇති අතර පොල් සම්බෝල සදහා ද ගාපු පොල් භාවිතාව ප්‍රචලිත වෙමින් පවති. මේ සදහා බාදාවනක් වන්නෙ සැකසූ පොල් සදහා VAT බද්දක් ඉහල අලෙවි ලාභයක් (30% retail Margin) තිබීමයි, එය ඉවත් වුව හොත් නිවසට විශාල ආර්ථික ලාබයක්ද හිමිවේ.

කර්මාන්ත අමාත්‍යාංශය ලෙස  පොල් මගින් අපට ලැබෙන විදේශ විනිමය ඩොලර් බිලියනයක් දක්වා ඉහළ නැංවීම කෙටිකාලීන අරමුණයි. ඒ සඳහා අපට ඉතා හොඳ විභවයක් තිබෙන අතර කර්මාන්ත සහ ව්‍යවසාය සංවර්ධණ අමාත්‍යාංශය ඒ සඳහා උපරිම කැපවීම කිරීමට සූදානම්ය.

පොල් ගස වචනයේ පරිසමාප්තියෙන්ම කප්රුකකි. නමුත්, ආර්ථික අර්බුදයක සිරවී සිටින අපි එයට සාධාරණයක් ඉටු කරනවාදැයි නැවත සිතා බැලිය යුතු නොවේද? 

කුමන ආකාරයෙන් වුවත් රට දැන් සීමිත සම්පත් වලින් උපරිම ඵල නෙලාගත යුතුව ඇත. ඔබේ ආහාර රට කිසිවක් වෙනස් නොකර ආකල්පයක වෙනසකින් අපට අමතරව $ මිලියන 200ක් රටට වාර්ශිකව එක් කල හැකිබව පමනක් සටහන් කර තබමි.

Edit කෑලිවලින් හෝ ජනතාව දැණුවත් වේනම් රටක් විදිහට අලුත් ගමනක් යෑමට අවස්තා එමටය. පොල් වගාවට, ආශ්‍රික කර්මාන්ත වලට ඔබ ව්‍යවසායකයෙක් ලෙස යොමු වේනම් ලෝක අනම්‍ය වර්ධනය වෙන වෙළෙඳපොළල ඩොලර් බිලියන 30කි

චතුරංග අබේසිංහ – ව්‍යවසායකත්ව සංවර්ධන නියොජ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය. (Newswire)

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The number of coconuts sold daily through Sathosa outlets will be increased to 200,000 starting tomorrow (Dec 9) the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development said.

Coconuts sourced from government-owned plantations will be sold at Rs. 130 each at Sathosa outlets, particularly targeting urban areas, including Colombo.

Currently, Sathosa sells approximately 100,000 coconuts daily.

Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said that disruptions in coconut production caused by recent heavy rains have now eased, adding that he is confident that shortages will soon be resolved. (Newswire)

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A mobile coconut sales programme has been launched by the Ministry of Plantations to provide consumers with coconuts at affordable prices.

According to a ministry statement, the first phase of the programme was launched in several areas in Colombo and its suburbs today.

As such, mobile coconut sales vehicles have been deployed in the following areas,

• Near the Welikada Police Station in Colombo
• Kirulapone market
• Finance Ministry premises
• Near the Welikada Police in the Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Municipal Council area
• Ananda Samarakoon open theater in Nugegoda
• The Sethsiripaya premises covering the Kaduwela and Battaramulla areas
• Near the Coconut Cultivation Board on Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha 

Initially launched in certain key areas, the ministry said the initiative will be expanded to cover other districts in the coming days.

Under this program, the Coconut Cultivation Board will supply approximately 10,000 coconuts to the market on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 

Following this, 5,000 coconuts will be released on other days of the week, making a total of 15,000 coconuts available to meet the local demand.

In addition, the Kurunegala Plantations Company has arranged to supply 1,500 coconuts daily from October 22, while the Chilaw Plantations Company has also agreed to provide 3,000 coconuts daily from today.

The Plantations Ministry revealed that the expected retail price for a coconut will be between Rs. 100 to Rs. 120. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka has offered to provide assistance for coconut cultivation in Cuba, during a meeting between Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Cuban Ambassador Andres Marcelo Gonzales Garrido at the Temple Trees in Colombo on Thursday (Dec 14).

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Gunawardena thanked Cuba for the consistent support extended to Sri Lanka at the United Nations and other international forums. 

He also referred to the assistance given to Sri Lanka to combat the Dengue pandemic and stressed the need for continuous cooperation in the field of medicine. The Ambassador agreed to share Cuban expertise in mosquito eradication with Sri Lankan health authorities.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need to exchange new scientific and technological innovations in the agricultural sector between the two countries.

The Ambassador said that he was happy with the successful experiments carried out by the Sri Lankan Coconut Research Center and mentioned that he is working to get coconut saplings for cultivation in his country. 

The Prime Minister assured the Ambassador that a donation of 200 coconut seeds will be made to Cuba shortly. The Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka will also provide expertise to Cuba to develop its coconut industry.

The ambassador further stated that there is scope to develop cooperation in food production, farming and animal husbandry sectors in Sri Lanka.

MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Anura Dissanayake, and First Secretary of the Cuban Embassy, Maribel Duarte Gonzalez also participated in the discussion. (NewsWire)

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The second Coconut Triangle would be launched in the Northern Province this year consisting of the areas of Jaffna, Mannar and Mulaitvu Districts, Minister of Plantation Industries and Minister of Industries Dr. Ramesh Pathirana stated.

Minister Pathirana stated that the second Coconut Triangle would be launched in conjunction with World Coconut Day marked on September 2.

The Minister further stated that additionally, 290 million kg of tea are planned to be exported this year.

The Minister emphasized that Sri Lankan tea’s price per kilo on the international tea market is stable and that in order to maintain it, Sri Lankan tea’s quality must be preserved.

He expressed these views during a press conference themed ‘One Year of Progress’ held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) yesterday (Aug 02).

“Due to the fertilizer problem, exports from the plantation industry decreased last year. The fertilizer crisis and bad weather affected the plantation industry greatly. A bundle of 50 kilograms of urea went up to Rs. 30,000, last year. As of today, the government has worked to bring down the price of a 50 kg bundle of urea to Rs. 9000. By the end of this year, 300 million kilos of tea are expected to be exportable under these circumstances.

The sale of tea to the global tea market through the online system has already commenced. We will export tea worth 500 million USD to Iran in place of the fuel we received. It is anticipated to revive the Iranian tea industry through this strategy.

Their capacity to obtain tea is declining as a result of the conflict situation in nations like Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, and Iraq, which are consumers of tea in Sri Lanka. Although the price of Sri Lankan tea is consistent on the global market, the enthusiasm of the tea-consuming nations is dwindling,” he said.

He further stated; “Cabinet approval has now been received to provide a portion of 10 perches of land to the tea plantation workers. Accordingly, the relevant land ownership is to be given to them in the future. After that, they have been given the opportunity to get credit facilities to build the houses they need.

In the last two years, it was possible to get an income of Rs. 1 billion from the export of rubber products. Due to the ability to purchase rubber for the manufacture of gloves during the last corona pandemic, it was possible to generate a sizable export income. But the demand for rubber goods is presently declining as a result of the global economic crisis. Therefore, it has been estimated that this year’s rubber-related export revenue will be around 900 million USD.”

Minister Ramesh Pathirane noted that additionally, coconut export revenue has significantly increased in recent years. “The range of goods that can be found in our coconuts has led to an increase in demand. This year, it is anticipated that exports of coconut-related goods will bring in 700 million USD.

It is anticipated that exports of goods related to coconuts would generate 2 billion USD in revenue during the next ten years. Thus, it is envisioned that Sri Lanka will develop a second coconut triangle. The Northern Province’s Jaffna, Mannar, and Mullaitivu regions will be included in this second coconut triangle. Local consumption accounts for two-thirds of coconut production. One-third is used for export. To increase export potential, this situation needs to be altered.”

He further stated that the GI certificate needed for cinnamon cultivation has finally been obtained. “It is possible to generate a sizable amount of cash from exports because only Sri Lanka and Madagascar produce the greatest cinnamon in the world. As a result, a formal program is being carried out as a ministry to encourage cinnamon cultivation.

The revival of coffee as a crop in Sri Lanka has received attention as it grows to be the most popular crop in the world. Despite the fact that Sri Lanka began cultivating coffee before tea, farmers were forced to abandon the crop due to a fungus-related illness. However, it has been proposed to increase coffee cultivation in Sri Lanka due to the substantial potential for the crop on the global market. As a result, plans have been made to begin a 1000-acre coffee plantation,” he added. (NewsWire)

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An individual who had stolen 20 coconuts has been sentenced to 1 year of rigorous imprisonment suspended for 10 years. 

The suspect, who is a father of one, is reported to have stolen the coconuts from an estate in the Kehel-ella area in Diwulapitiya.

Investigations have revealed that the suspect had stolen the coconuts, valued at Rs. 1200 per coconut, in January 2021.

The sentencing was issued by the Minuwangoda Magistrate’s Court when the case was taken up for hearing yesterday (May 25). (NewsWire)

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