The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I provide the following answers.

¶ 02 (a) (i) Tea; Coconut; Rubber.

¶ 03 (ii) A specific year is not recorded; however, Central Bank Reports since the 1950s record coconut as an export crop, as noted by the Coconut Research Institute.

¶ 04 (iii) Extent under coconut: 484,678 hectares (estimated, 2024). Number of coconut trees: 658 million (estimated, 2024). Estimates are based on the 2014 Census Report of the Department of Census and Statistics with computations by the Coconut Development Authority and Coconut Research Institute.

¶ 05 (iv) Target is to increase national production to 4.2 billion nuts by 2030. Key measures include: - Fertilizer subsidy to cover 300,000 acres; MOP 50 kg bag at a subsidized price (e.g., Rs. 4,000 vs. ~Rs. 9,000 market), and a separate MOP provision at Rs. 600 per 50 kg for eligible growers under conditions. - Rs. 150 per tree support for mulching/moisture conservation. - Rs. 30,000 per acre support for recommended on-farm water systems. - Pest and disease management programmes. - Human–wildlife damage mitigation. - Rehabilitation of underutilized lands in the coconut triangle (Kurunegala, Gampaha, Puttalam), including cluster-based development and replanting/infilling from this year. - Additional long-term measures are detailed in the full reply placed in the Library.

¶ 06 (b) (i) Coconut kernel-based: coconut milk, desiccated coconut, virgin/fresh coconut oil, coconut milk powder, refined oil, coconut cream, coconut chips, low-fat coconut, coconut flour, copra, coconut water, coconut butter, coconut ice cream, etc. Coconut sap-based: toddy/arrack (ethanol-based products), coconut sugar, jaggery, amino, vinegar, etc. Coconut husk-based: coir fibre, brushes, mattresses, geotextiles, coir pith products, etc. Coconut shell-based: shell charcoal, shell powder, activated carbon, handicrafts, etc.

¶ 07 (ii) Export earnings from coconut-based products (USD million): 2017: 598; 2018: 584; 2019: 610; 2020: 661; 2021: 834; 2022: 817; 2023: 700; 2025 Jan–Nov: USD 1,127 (first time surpassing USD 1 billion on a Jan–Nov basis). Full-year 2025 is expected to exceed USD 1,200 million.

¶ 08 (iii) In 2025, over 450 registered husk-related enterprises with the Coconut Development Authority; additionally, about 900 informal coir/coir-pith units. Eleven registered as foreign-owned factories. Employment: approximately 20,000 direct and 40,000 indirect.

¶ 09 (iv) Key issues: - Significant raw material shortage relative to demand. - Rising husk prices due to growth of husk-cutting as an industry, limiting supply to coir manufacturers; SMEs struggle to afford inputs. - Increased on-farm use of husk for moisture conservation further tightens supply. - Overlap and promotion of husk cutting by institutions outside the Coconut Development Authority complicates regulation. - Limited adoption of advanced technology and value addition in some coir subsectors.

¶ 10 (c) Not applicable.

¶ 11 A detailed reply has been placed in the Library.