Daily coconut consumption is 4.5 million, production is 3 million: Ministry

Pol Mole Tuesday, 21 November 2023 07:15 PM

Who would pluck coconut in the home garden? Stupid ministers. Instead he needs to instruct cocunut board to look in to the issues faced by small-scale coconut growers and how to increase the yield; even the president recently mentioned that our yield is very much lower when compared to India and other countries. Ask the field officers in Gampaha district for their field reports; make a trip to Walpita farm run by the board, and see yourself the state of affairs

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sam Tuesday, 21 November 2023 07:33 PM

How we get the shortfall of 1.5 million nuts?

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Gerry Tuesday, 21 November 2023 08:16 PM

From where did the rest of the coconuts, 1.5 million of them, come? Smuggled? Floated on to beaches? A very strange survey. If it was the daily requirement, instead of daily consumption, it could have made some sense!

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DOT Tuesday, 21 November 2023 08:37 PM

Potential is quite a high millions but Monkey Factor is badly effects.

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Siva S Tuesday, 21 November 2023 09:49 PM

Coconut cultivation is decimated due to pests, high cost of production and low buying prices by the wholesale vendors. The Rhino beetle and Red Palm Weevil are destroying matured trees. But these can be controlled using Pheromone traps. However they are hardly available in the market and should be eradicated throughout the country in a systematic way . These traps are produced by our neighbour India commercially, yet we dont find it in the market. Same old inefficiency or lack of interest by the government appointed henchmen in departments. Farmers and consumers suffer..

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Yogan Jaffna Tuesday, 21 November 2023 09:57 PM

So how come we our wholse sale buyers in Jaffna only pay us Rs. 53-58 a nut? The fertilizer costs have sky rocketed from Rs. 7500 a bag to Rs 12500 and with labour wages of at least Rs 45000 a month, combined with new diseases and pests appearing in daily basis; and no support from Coconut cultivation board, CRI or anyother government organizations. Are you surprised why people are shunning coconut farming? I am for one has stopped planting anymore palms. The cost of production is too high, very low yields due to diseases and peanut pricess when we try to sell the nuts.

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Ram Wednesday, 22 November 2023 03:14 AM

Good reason for the Minister to import coconuts and earn commission. Cheers

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Fred Wednesday, 22 November 2023 03:15 AM

If the daily consumption is 4.5 million and the production is only 3 million from where did the 1.5 million come as we don't import coconuts could it be from home gardens.Please explain,not a good survey

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Tissa Fernando Wednesday, 22 November 2023 04:13 AM

These statistics cannot be correct. If we consume 4 5 million nuts a day and only produce 3 million nuts then from where do we get the remaining 2.5 million. We slso export a lot and from where do we get those nuts. As far as i know we do not import cpconut. These ministers are talking about statistics without realising simple maths. However, the idea to cultivate coconut trees is good.

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Jude Wednesday, 22 November 2023 05:51 AM

Now they want coconut triangle in Hambantota!! First it was the Port then cricket stadium, And h'tota wants the oil refinery, what else!???

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Jude Wednesday, 22 November 2023 05:55 AM

To build dewelings factories they cut down coconut trees but never replanted the coconut trees that was destroyed.

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Siri Gamlath Wednesday, 22 November 2023 05:57 AM

I just wonder who has estimated these utterly nonsense numbers. If the daily production is only 3 million nuts how can 4.5 million nuts can be consumed! This is a ridiculous estimate which can be a ploy for import of coconuts and make unlawful money by the corrupt politicians and the officials. SUCCESSESIVE Governments have neglected the coconut sector without realizing that the two most important factors for increased production are the fertilizers and water/irrigation!

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Siri Gamlath Wednesday, 22 November 2023 05:57 AM

I just wonder who has estimated these utterly nonsense numbers. If the daily production is only 3 million nuts how can 4.5 million nuts can be consumed! This is a ridiculous estimate which can be a ploy for import of coconuts and make unlawful money by the corrupt politicians and the officials. SUCCESSESIVE Governments have neglected the coconut sector without realizing that the two most important factors for increased production are the fertilizers and water/irrigation!

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Grace Wednesday, 22 November 2023 06:08 AM

The government has found an excuse to ban dashing coconuts in temples because many more people will dash coconuts in future to vent their anger against the government for the woes they are facing.

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Waco Wednesday, 22 November 2023 07:42 AM

Coconut industry was ruined due blocking out and selling coconut plantations. Same fate for the Tea industry as well. More money for the roughs in the parliament.

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melville Perera Wednesday, 22 November 2023 07:46 AM

This is a photo copy of a report issued 6 years ago.. Has the CRI been disbanded? Do they know the conditions required to export leave alone the local consumption. The market is flooded with immature nuts at a price, that can be put into a housewife's handbag. Any wonder the harvest is low . It will be worse if export conditions are enforced for local consumption which will improve the harvest

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Ravana Wednesday, 22 November 2023 09:12 AM

So, you want to import coconuts now?

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M.Jayasekara Wednesday, 22 November 2023 09:55 AM

Minister

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Hard Truth Wednesday, 22 November 2023 10:42 AM

Other countries sending rober missions to Mars, don't they donate coconut-plucking robots or rovers to our land.

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W.A.K. Karunathilaka. Thursday, 23 November 2023 02:35 PM

Rather than the extent we have a problem of low productivity. Major causes of low productivity are pests, wild animals, monkeys and the national animal, Dandu Lena. The poor nutrient management, majority of the small holders rarely apply fertilizer. Also poor crop management. Weed control, regular plucking, keeping trees clean are not practiced.

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