The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, we recognize SMEs face difficulties competing with large, technology-intensive producers. In November 2025, husk prices reached around Rs. 22 per nut in some places, making it hard for smaller operators. Several foreign firms sought approvals for major investments, but we did not grant new approvals recently in order to protect SMEs. The medium-term solution is to expand domestic husk supply by boosting coconut production and productivity.

¶ 02 A typical Sri Lankan coconut tree yields about 55 nuts per year, which is inadequate compared to India (~80) and Malaysia/Philippines (~120). Achieving 4.2 billion nuts by 2030 requires improving yields on existing stands via proper fertilization, irrigation/moisture conservation, and pest/disease control—especially as fertilizer application was neglected for about five years previously. Through short- and medium-term measures to raise yields and targeted support to SMEs, we aim to meet industrial husk demand sustainably.