Batty over coconuts
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There was a time many decades ago when coconuts were available in abundance prompting that famous song by baila maestro M.S. Fernando – ‘Pol-pol-popol-pol-pol-pol-Lankawe watuwala wawena pol (Coconuts grown in the gardens of Sri Lanka)’, where most homes in Sri Lanka (and at that time with a large or small garden) had coconut trees. The coconut for your cooking needs and that delicious ‘pol sambol’ came from the home garden and residents rarely ventured out to buy coconuts from shops.These days, coconut prices have hit the roof and are often selling at Rs. 200 per nut. I was reminded of these times in the past when I was travelling in an Uber taxi last week. Striking up a conversation with driver Upali, I asked him why coconut prices have risen sharply. “That’s because they are also exported,” he said.
“But doesn’t this bring in valuable foreign exchange to the country,” I asked. “That may be the case but the government must first provide for the needs of the people before exports. Are you implying that we may have to import coconuts to meet our consumption needs?” he asked in reply. In fact, the government is considering importing coconuts in different forms to meet the shortage at home.
“Export or perish,” was a call by the late Lalith Athulathmudali, Minister of Trade in J.R. Jayewardene’s 1977 government, illustrating the need to increase the country’s exports, essentially to earn foreign exchange and meet Sri Lanka’s import bills.
But should we export coconut products at the expense of the local consumer? This was the theme of the conversation when Pedris Appo – short for Appuhamy, a retired agri expert who does farming, called me on Thursday morning on the home landline.
“I say……what are our planners doing without tackling the coconut shortage,” he asked. “Well, the new rulers have just taken over and they haven’t had sufficient time to address it to the satisfaction of the public,” I said.
Indeed the new regime has been hit by an avalanche of crises with hardly time to breathe or settle down – coconuts, rice and eggs are all in short supply and selling at high prices for various reasons including delayed harvests, flooding of rice fields destroying crops or lack of fertiliser. Issues of the past which have fallen on the lap of the new rulers.
The government, just a few weeks old, is also having to – as per its election mandate – deal with wastage, corruption, mismanagement and abuse of power – hallmarks of all or most previous governments. Now there is talk of also importing salt, a product in which Sri Lanka has been self-sufficient for many years. The government also seems to be handling the rice mafia (powerful millers) with kid gloves rather than cracking the whip.
Salt production companies are learnt to have requested government approval to import salt to meet the shortage, a request the Ministry of Trade is considering after an evaluation of salt production and consumption needs.
On coconuts, a report in the Sunday Times Business recently said that Sri Lankan authorities are working with the coconut manufacturers on the possibility of importing whole coconuts and coconut milk for the export industry to address an acute shortage in the market. The report quoted Ceylon Desiccated Coconut Manufacturers Association Secretary Jason Samaranayake as saying that since the import of coconuts itself is more viable due to the lower prices compared to the import of coconut kernels, the industry is discussing with the authorities on the measures needed to be taken in relation to the quarantine of the coconuts. Test marketing would be undertaken to ascertain how the quarantine could be carried out.
The industry has requested the government to import coconut milk to be re-packed and exported to meet the existing global demand so as to ensure the Sri Lankan exporters do not lose their current market share in the global coconut marketing chain.
The bulk of Sri Lanka’s coconut production comes from the ‘Coconut Triangle’ which refers to the area surrounding the districts of Kurunegala, Puttalam and Colombo and represents over 65 per cent of Sri Lanka’s production of 3 billion nuts per year, out of which a portion is exported. While coconut production is seen falling by 40 per cent next year, according to official estimates, due to various reasons including leaf disease, the land under cultivation has been diminishing over the years and now stands at around 1 million hectares. Due to mounting losses, many coconut farm lands have been sold to real estate developers.
For the uninitiated, the coconut tree has extensive uses. According to one explanation, there are 10 or more ways to use a coconut tree: the coconut flesh is used as food and milk; the water – as a healthy, refreshing drink; the oil – for cooking, skin and hair; the shells and husks – as craft material and rope; the leaves – for thatching; the sticks – for brooms; the wood – as firewood in traditional kitchens; and the flowers – as medicine.
Coming to the end of the column, it was time to catch-up with the conversation of the trio under the margosa tree. They were also discussing rising prices. “Kohomada, kattiya rupial desiyak gevanney pol gediyakata. Duppath geval wala uyanawa aththey pol nethuwa (How can people afford to pay Rs. 200 per nut? In most poor homes, they must be cooking without coconut),” said Kussi Amma Sera.
“Aanduwa jeevana viyadama ekka karadara godakata moona denawa wagey (It seems the government is struggling with the cost of living),” noted Serapina. “Haal milath loku prashnayak. Aei mang danney nae mol kattiyata viruddawa thada kriya margayak ganney neththey (Rice prices are also an issue. I cannot understand why the government is not taking stern action against rice millers),” added Mabel Rasthiyadu
And to wind up, here is a joke about coconuts featuring the Sinhala comedy duo Janai-Priyai: Janai walks into Priyai’s home offering to pluck coconuts for a fee. Priyai says okay and listens while the coconuts fall in the back garden. A tired Janai, after climbing the coconut tree, comes to the verandah and says that he has plucked seven coconuts. “That can’t be… I counted eight coconuts falling,” says Priyai sternly.
“Aiyo Sir… I plucked only seven coconuts, the eighth one falling was myself falling from the tree,” says an embarrassed Janai, nursing a sprained back.
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