The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, under Standing Order 27(2), I raise the following matter.

¶ 02 Sri Lanka’s coconut industry—a key pillar of our plantation economy and rural livelihoods—has suffered severe decline. As the third-largest perennial crop after tea and rubber, it faces a crisis: reduced yields across many provinces due to unusual weather, fertilizer shortages, pests, and aging stands have visibly reduced production. Coconut-based industries—copra/dry coconut, coconut oil, coir, activated carbon, coconut milk and value-added products—are also affected, lowering exports.

¶ 03 According to recent data, the export value of coconut and related products: - 2023 – USD 708.7 million (down 13.27% from previous year) - 2024 – USD 856.39 million (up 20.9% from 2023)

¶ 04 These categories include coconut oil, desiccated coconut, coconut milk powder, coconut milk (liquid), coco peat, and activated carbon. The growth in 2024 reflects increased export volumes in these categories. The decline threatens rural livelihoods, foreign exchange earnings, and the broader agri-industry economy. Many stakeholders decry inadequate support in crop maintenance, market access, storage and sales, and lack of standardized state support.

¶ 05 Accordingly, I respectfully request answers from the Hon. Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure to the following:

¶ 06 1. What are the expected statistics for 2024 and 2025? How do they compare with prior multi-year medians? What factors caused the decline, and what data/specialist assessments were used?

¶ 07 2. What are the primary identified causes of the production decline? Have scientific/agronomic studies been conducted? Is there a national coordination program to help particularly exporters and aggregators facing market volatility?

¶ 08 3. What steps has the Ministry taken to ensure timely input delivery (fertilizer and inputs), to provide support, grants, credit, or collateral facilities to smallholders, and to introduce water-efficient intercropping for dry zones?

¶ 09 4. Are there short-, medium- and long-term plans to expand cultivation, improve intercropping, and integrate new technology to enhance productivity and resilience?

¶ 10 5. Will the Ministry consider establishing a “Coconut Industry Revitalization Task Force” bringing together growers, aggregators, exporters, researchers and all relevant ministries for both immediate and long-term solutions?

¶ 11 6. Are there relief or restructuring schemes to sustain industries engaged in coconut aggregation and export, and special support to maintain export orders and comply with international standards?