Government delays decision on future of oil palm cultivation

27 April 2024 04:40 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 16 Bookmark

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Expert committee spells out instructions and directions to be followed when permitting palm oil cultivation in identified Mahaweli and specified other areas

By Nishel Fernando
The government has been sitting on an expert committee report on how to permit oil palm cultivation in identified Mahaweli areas and other areas, without deciding for nearly five months.

According to the Agriculture and Plantation Industries Ministry, the ministry forwarded the report to the secretary to the Cabinet of Ministers on January 12.

In November 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to appoint an expert committee to explore the possibility of permitting oil palm cultivation in identified Mahaweli areas and specified other areas, which include the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs).

The committee was headed by an additional secretary to the ministry and was made up of experts from of the Plantation Industries Ministry, Mahaweli Authority, Irrigation Department and Coconut Research Institute.

The extensive report provides instructions and directions, if the government decides to lift the ban on oil palm in these specified areas. A ministry official noted that it’s up to the Cabinet of Ministers, chaired by the president, to make a decision.

Late last year, former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake announced that the government was likely to lift the ban on the cultivation of oil palm in January this year.

According to a leading head of an RPC, while the government promised to lift the ban on oil palm cultivation, the government has been continuing to maintain the status quo on this polarising issue.

Another RPC official noted that the government could be delaying in making a decision ahead of the upcoming elections.

In 2014, during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency, the then Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, along with the Cabinet, decided to plant up to 20,000 hectares of oil palm. However, the government under Gotaabya Rajapaske’s presidency reversed the policy decision in 2021, amidst growing public opposition in areas surrounding oil palm cultivation.

According to the Palm Oil Industry Association, the current oil palm cultivation stands at 11,000 hectares.

According to the growers, an acre of oil palm cultivation can generate an average income of Rs.100,000 a month. At present, Sri Lanka consumes 220,000 metric tonnes of palm oil, of which only 12 percent is produced locally.

Comments - 16

Cecil Hedwige Saturday, 27 April 2024 09:07 AM

As usual nobody is interested in devoping this policy to earn foreign currency like countries Eg: Malaysia..Shame on our politicians and Govt officials.

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Same problem for decades, there is no shame in our politicans Sunday, 28 April 2024 07:22 PM

Talking about the shame on our politicians is what people have been doing since independence. They will not change their ways.

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Siri Rohan Saturday, 27 April 2024 09:55 AM

Growing Palm Oil is to create a Environmental DESERT as can be seen in east asian Countries who are now giving up/stopping the cultivation of this plant. Even in the existing plantations in SL in the Kalutara area, these plantations are deserts. NO birds nest, no other creatures are found living in it. Interested parties may say of incomes, etc, but the long term after effects are hidden. Govt should totally BAN the cultivation of this plant as most Asian Countries are doing at the moment.

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RB Kalloe Saturday, 27 April 2024 08:19 PM

If a country is importing vegetable oil, in that case it would be wise to start investing in palm oil plantations. It is the most productive oil producer. Developed countries have cut 80% of their forest.

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Seek Expert Advice B4 Deciding Saturday, 27 April 2024 10:29 AM

Many countries have or are phasing out palm oil cultivation. This is mainly due to its unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides and raise the likelihood of heart disease. Seek expert advise if this project is viable for the long term or look at alternative cash crops which are in demand due to climate and war situations.

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Saju Saturday, 27 April 2024 11:32 AM

I hope the government will not allow this. As an individual who worked in the palm oil sector I have seen first hand destruction it does. Mainly the required land for palm oil will be lush forests and this will destroy the biodiversity in that area. Plus to get the best out of palm oil, scale is important. So, it will not be that useful.Instead the large plantation companies should look at improving the efficiency of existing plantation land through other crops.

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SM Sunday, 28 April 2024 04:47 AM

Keep your lush forests and keep being beggars like you guys are now, until the next time you’ve mortgaged the whole country and no one will lend you any more. Then do all the atrocities again that you guys committed against politicians and each other during the last financial crisis. You should see why developed countries are developed. They cultivate every arable piece of land, reserving forests and parks in very hilly uneconomical to farm lands only. The developed countries then fool you guys to keep your forests and poverty to balance out the fact that they’ve cultivated their forest lands and achieved prosperity.

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KD Saturday, 27 April 2024 01:34 PM

Palm oil is bad for agriculture sector, nature, biodiversity and human health. It should not be allowed in Sri Lanka

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Arnold Saturday, 27 April 2024 05:10 PM

All farming is bad for bio diversity. Tea plantation is the worst.

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Joshua Saturday, 27 April 2024 02:08 PM

Waiting until a politician is found yo make money

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Sujeeva Deraniyagala Saturday, 27 April 2024 03:57 PM

This is not a wise decision. The plantations extremely hazardous to natural environment, it drains ground water reserves, and above all the oil is carcinogen. It is better to plant coconuts and turn them to more creative cash crop. There are many ways that coconuts can be used to earn foreign exchange and attract tourists. See how Thailand and Vietnam use them in novel ways.

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Navi Saturday, 27 April 2024 09:00 PM

Ban Oil Palm Cultivation in Sri Lanka and instead promote Coconut Cultivation. provide subsidies for Coconut cultivation.

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If palm oil is unhealthy ban its import, but is that a lie altogether Saturday, 27 April 2024 09:26 PM

There is apparently much palm oil being imported into the country according to the article. As long as that is happening growing palm oil trees is perfectly sensible. If palm oil is worse than other oils or toxic then it must be banned, then cultivation can be stopped. Until consumption of palm oil ends here no point trying to reduce palm oil cultivation.

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NV Jen Saturday, 27 April 2024 10:48 PM

It should be clearly established with extensive studies both locally and internationally whether Oil palm cultivation leads to environmental degradation including water scarcity, before banning the crop. Or else the palm oil import mafia will as usual bribe the politicians and officials to continue with their business unabatedly, sidelining even the locally produced coconut oil.

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Mohan Sunday, 28 April 2024 10:29 AM

Palm oil is unhealthy. Why don't they promote cultivation of sunflower to produce sunflower oil? I am sure it wouldn't affect the environment like oil palm.

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FredSnr Sunday, 28 April 2024 06:55 PM

It makes sense to listen to people who have been in the industry in this context. As for Sri Lankas financial worries they are very basic, result of the country been run by people(politicians) who do not care, over many years It may sound ridiculous but the solution may be to call for electoral candidates to run the country with no pay just an allowance to cover costs we may then get the right candidates intelligent people who will delegate the work to the depts under their control.Pay them a gratuity at the end if they do a good job

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