Encourage import of coconut oil, not palm oil, say growers

The import of coconut oil should be encouraged instead of palm oil to prevent unscrupulous traders selling coconut oil adulterated with over 90 per cent of palm, said President, Coconut Growers' Association, Nimal Samarakkody.

He said the Association has called upon the government to introduce incentives to encourage growers to increase the annual production.The huge shortfall of nuts to meet the annual demand has to be addressed.

Coconut growers said that copra should be imported duty free to tide over the shortage of nuts during the lean period from September to February.

While the annual production is 2.6 million nuts the demand is around 3.7 million nuts. Of the 400,000 hectares of coconut cultivation over 80 per cent is cultivated in less than eight hectares, while 37 per cent is cultivated in less than one hectare.

The Association said that the government should not fully withdraw the import duty imposed on edible oil since it will have a major impact on the growers who are approaching the peak time of the yield.

"We don't undermine the problems affecting the desiccated coconut millers but there should be a fair duty structure that benefits all in the coconut industry", Samarakkody said.

The Desiccated Coconut Millers' Association told a media conference last week that the government should remove the import duty on edible oil if the country is to save the processing industry from a major catastrophe.

Coconut growers face many challenges as pests and diseases such as mite, leaf rot and wilt adversely affects production of growers in the southern province.

"Compared to other commercial crops coconut has a longer gestation period of around 10-12 years to give an economic return. Most of the coconut trees are old and there has been no proper replanting during the past decade."

Samarakkody said over 70 per cent of the coconut production is used for domestic consumption while the rest is used for the processing industry.

LF