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Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Wednesday, 5 February 2025

10th Parliament· 19 debates· 240 speeches· 52 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1739175806099814 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  7. 7 Oral question Oral Question: Coconut Production Decline (Q.290/2024) 10 speeches
    • Mr. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB

      AI summary Chaminda Wijesiri rose on a point of order. No substantive issue, proposal, or question is recorded in the provided excerpt.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • Mr. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Dharmapriya Dissanayake JJB

      AI summary Dharmapriya Dissanayake asked the Prime Minister why coconut yields have declined despite the crop’s past importance as a leading export commodity and noted that Sri Lanka is now importing coconut to meet domestic needs. He sought details on the State and semi-State bodies responsible for coconut cultivation, the measures they have taken to meet local and export demand for coconut and related products, their effectiveness, and the Government’s short-, medium- and long-term plans to address the shortage.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister JJB

      AI summary The Prime Minister, responding to a question on declining coconut yields, cited climatic extremes, prolonged fertilizer non-use, pests and diseases, wild animal damage, high input and energy costs, labour shortages, price volatility, ageing and neglected plantations, land fragmentation, and conversion of coconut land. She identified the responsible institutions under the Ministry of Plantation and Rural Infrastructure and outlined ongoing measures including research, planting programmes, grower training, pest control inputs, credit and grants, awareness campaigns, and commercial cultivation by plantation companies. She said the Government’s short-, medium-, and long-term responses include fertilizer supply, pest and disease control, home-garden promotion, rehabilitation and replanting, Budget support, expansion into non-traditional areas including a Northern coconut triangle, mitigation of animal damage, and a UNIDO-supported roadmap targeting 4,200 million nuts and USD 1,500 million in export earnings by 2030.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. Dharmapriya Dissanayake JJB

      AI summary Hon. Dharmapriya Dissanayake questioned the Government on the functioning of the Fragmentation Board, noting that although it was intended to prevent subdivision of plantation and coconut lands, it has lacked a Chairman and may have facilitated fragmentation instead. He asked whether new regulations would be introduced to strengthen prevention, whether the current requirement for Board approval for land parcels over five acres would be retained, and whether local authorities would be properly regulated in granting approvals.

      AgricultureLand & Housing Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister JJB

      AI summary A new Chairman has been appointed to the Fragmentation Board, and the Government intends to improve its functioning through stronger coordination. The Prime Minister attributed problems in the coconut sector to fragmented agencies, weak planning, inadequate replanting, and fertilizer gaps, and said institutions are being aligned under common short-, medium-, and long-term plans to address these issues.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. Dharmapriya Dissanayake JJB

      AI summary Dharmapriya Dissanayake raised concerns about long-term under-application of fertilizer in coconut cultivation since around 2017, citing high fertilizer prices and the lengthy production cycle of coconuts as factors affecting yields. He asked whether the Government would provide concessions to estate owners and growers to obtain muriate of potash, which he described as essential for coconut production.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister JJB

      AI summary The Prime Minister attributed the coconut crisis to past fertilizer policy decisions, noting that coconut yields are affected by a 39–44 month biological lag. She said the Government is acting to ensure timely fertilizer availability, plans to support coconut cultivation through the upcoming Budget, and will separately manage short-term consumer supply concerns while longer-term production measures take effect.

      Public FinanceAgriculture Full speech →
    • Mr. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →