The Sri Lanka Coconut Industry Board says it has requested the government to allow the import of 200 million coconuts within the next few months.
Its Chairman Jayantha Samarakoon stated that the main reason for the current coconut shortage is the increase in fertilizer prices.
He also said that the country will lose about one billion dollars in revenue if the coconut stocks required for the coconut-based products’ export industry sector are not imported immediately.
He said this at a press conference held on Tuesday (21) at the National Chamber of Commerce Auditorium.
Samarakoon revealed that the monthly coconut requirement in the country is 250 million coconuts, of which 150 million nuts will be used for domestic consumption and 100 million nuts for the industrial sector.
He said that although the annual gross production of coconuts in the country was 3,000 million nuts, it had decreased to 2,680 million nuts last year, and that the Coconut Research Institute has predicted that the country’s coconut production will decrease to between 2,400 and 2,600 million nuts this year.
Samarakoon further said that the Coconut Research Institute has predicted that there will be a production shortfall of 200 million coconuts between January and April this year.
He said that this proposal has been submitted to the government as a solution to this, and that he suggested to the government that the import of coconut milk, coconut kernel, dried coconut kernel or peeled coconut should be carried out urgently in relation to the 200 million coconuts in short supply.
Meanwhile, since a 50-kilogram bag of coconut fertilizer has increased from Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 12,000, less than 10% of growers are applying coconut fertilizer to coconut cultivation, he said, adding that this is the main reason for the coconut shortage.
He explained that as a solution to this issue, a request has been made to the government to provide a 50-kilogram bag of coconut fertilizer at a minimum price of Rs. 4,000, and that the price of coconut fertilizer is scheduled to be reduced in the upcoming budget.
He further said that a request has been made to the government to provide a subsidy for water supply and soil conservation to coconut growers.
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