Coconut industry in Sri Lanka

Coconut is a 3rd major export crop in Sri lanka. Every part in coconut tree has unique purpose. All parts can use as row material for household small-scale businesses. Sri Lankan climatic condition more suitable for coconut cultivation so we can get year-round harvest from it.

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In Sri lanka 2500-3000 million nuts produced per year. So, we are in the 4th palace by exporting coconut in the world. we can get kernel products, fiber and fiber-based product, ornamental products, and coconut shell-based product from the coconut tree.

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Some of the examples for kernel-based product are, copra, coconut milk, coconut milk powder, coconut oil, etc. example for the fiber and fiber-based products are, fiber dust, mats, brooms, brushes, etc.

We can use coconut shell, coconut ekel, coconut wood, and coconut fiber to produce ornamental product. Coconut tree based ornamental product has high demand among local people as well as foreigners.

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We can produce coconut chips, coconut juggery, coconut vinegar, coco sauce and many other value-added products by using different parts in the coconut tree.

In Sri lanka, government and private organizations involve in uplift the coconut cultivation by giving planting material, by giving extension services, by giving financial facilities for large- and small-scale coconut farmers.
Some of the potentials of coconut industry in Sri lanka are, favorable climatic condition, demand for coconut in local as well as global market, land availability with having suitable soil to coconut cultivation, institutional support and small- and large-scale business start based on the coconut tree.

Some of the constraints affected for coconut-based product at present, because of the aflatoxin chemical. Most of the traditionally produced coconut oil contain that aflatoxin chemical not only imported oil.

In the future, we can come in to 1st from the 4th place by increasing coconut cultivation land and by increasing number of employers involve in coconut industry.