Sri Lanka: The call for coconut

게시됨 2022년 12월 28일

Tridge 요약

Sri Lanka's coconut industry is facing challenges such as whitefly attacks, lack of fertiliser, and climate change, which are threatening production and increasing nut prices. The industry, which covers 1.1 million acres and produces 3.3 billion nuts annually, is seeking the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) and the Coconut Research Institute (CRI) are implementing measures like Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), breeding of resistant varieties, integrated pest management, and intercropping to enhance productivity and sustainability. However, issues such as high production costs, inadequate research funding, and outdated regulations are hindering the industry's growth. Small-scale growers face challenges in affording fertiliser, and there is a need for market-oriented interventions and modernisation of irrigation and fertiliser application practices. The industry also struggles with labour shortages and skills gaps, especially with the whitefly issue. KPL is experimenting with intercrops and irrigation techniques to mitigate climate change impacts and improve yield sustainability. The industry's future strategies include digitalisation of services, capital investment for modernisation, and subsidy schemes for smallholders to address these challenges and boost export earnings.

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원본 콘텐츠

Coconut – revered as kap ruka or celestial tree Intercropping with coconut enhances land productivity Trees infected by whitefly disease being treated at KPL Whitefly attacks Unless climate-smart agricultural habits are adopted, coconut production which is already threatened by whitefly attacks and lack of fertiliser, is at stake with possible soaring of nut prices, warns stakeholders committed to the wellbeing of this kap ruka or the celestial tree. By Randima Attygalle Covering a land area of 1.1 million acres and producing around 3.3 billion nuts annually, coconut, revered as the ‘kap ruka’ or the celestial tree, is the second major crop in the country after paddy. Coconut is uniquely positioned in Sri Lanka as a commercial crop of which 70% is used for local consumption. To strike a balance between consumption and exports (which is only 30% at present) and to adapt to unprecedented climate change and other environmental threats, coconut, thus calls for Good Agricultural ...

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