• Urges public awareness on sparing use 

Claiming that the importation of coconuts will not control coconut prices in the local market, the main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) urged the Government to amend the laws applicable to coconuts and to take stringent action to ensure that the country’s coconut cultivation is up to the standards.

SJB Parliamentarian Nalin Bandara Jayamaha made these remarks during a press briefing held yesterday (9), where he said that the Government must either devise a mechanism to provide fertiliser for small-scale coconut cultivators and those cultivating coconut in their gardens or provide a relief package for them. The proper application of fertiliser, he said, will ensure that the country’s coconut industry can fulfil the national coconut requirement by next year (2025). In addition, he urged the Government to investigate whether the application of fertiliser and the reaping of the harvest take place on time in State-owned coconut cultivations.

“It is the Government’s responsibility to educate the public on using coconuts sparingly during this period of coconut shortage,” Bandara opined.

He added that the prevailing coconut-related issues have been worsening for some time, and that the Government should hence direct the relevant public officials to control the situation.

Attempts to contact the Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Ministry in this regard and to inquire whether a decision has been taken to import coconuts were not successful.