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

Sitting of Tuesday, 20 January 2026

10th Parliament· 23 debates· 219 speeches· 59 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23200 ·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.

  11. 11 Oral question Oral Question: Export Crops and Coconut Production Targets (Q.49/2026) 6 speeches
    • The Hon. Sujeewa Dissanayake JJB

      AI summary Hon. Sujeewa Dissanayake asked the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure for details on Sri Lanka’s main export crops, including when coconut was declared a main export crop and current figures for coconut trees and cultivated extent. He sought information on measures to increase coconut production, coconut-related industries and annual foreign exchange earnings, and detailed data on coconut husk factories by ownership, exports, and employment. He also requested identification of the key problems facing the coconut husk industry and reasons for any unavailable information.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna JJB

      AI summary K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna responded to a question on coconut as an export crop, stating that 2024 estimates record 484,678 hectares under coconut and 658 million coconut trees, with a target of increasing production to 4.2 billion nuts by 2030. He outlined support measures including fertilizer subsidies, moisture conservation and water-system assistance, pest and disease control, wildlife-damage mitigation, and rehabilitation of underutilized lands in the coconut triangle. He also detailed coconut-based export products and earnings, noting that exports reached USD 1,127 million from January to November 2025, while identifying raw material shortages, rising husk prices, regulatory overlap, and limited technology adoption as key issues in the coir sector.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. Sujeewa Dissanayake JJB

      AI summary Asked whether the Ministry will implement a fresh coconut planting programme in Kurunegala in 2026, noting that the district, part of the traditional coconut triangle, has seen substantial reductions in coconut cultivation due to settlement expansion and the Deduru Oya reservoir. He referenced the Northern Coconut Triangle programme begun the previous year as relevant context.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna JJB

      AI summary Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna outlined measures to raise coconut production from about 2.7 billion nuts in 2024 to 4.2 billion by 2030 through new planting, replanting, infilling, and estate rehabilitation. He noted allocations of Rs. 500 million last year and Rs. 600 million in the current Budget for expanding the Northern Coconut Triangle to 40,000 acres by 2027, alongside continuation of the Home Garden Programme. He also said a cluster-based rehabilitation programme is being prepared for neglected or absentee-owned estates in Kurunegala, and that legal controls are in place to prevent unauthorized subdivision of coconut lands.

      Agriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. Sujeewa Dissanayake JJB

      AI summary Asked what measures the Ministry will take regarding large-scale husk-based manufacturers in the Kurunegala District, particularly around Chariyapola and Panduwasnuwara, where major firms and multinationals are said to influence husk and related product prices. He stated that this situation disadvantages small and medium-sized enterprises and sought a ministerial response on possible intervention.

      EmploymentAgriculture Full speech →
    • The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna JJB

      AI summary Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna said SMEs in the coconut husk sector are struggling against large, technology-intensive producers and high husk prices, which reached about Rs. 22 per nut in some areas in November 2025. He stated that recent foreign investment approvals were withheld to protect SMEs, while the medium-term policy is to expand domestic husk supply by increasing coconut production and productivity. He identified improved fertilization, irrigation and moisture conservation, and pest and disease control as necessary to raise yields from existing coconut stands and meet the target of 4.2 billion nuts by 2030.

      AgricultureEmployment Full speech →