Sri Lanka: Coconut industry in serious trouble

The main opposition UNP yesterday charged that the coconut industry in the country was in serious trouble with 60 percent of coconut mills in the North Western province alone having been closed down.

Opposition Leader of the North Western Province Shamal Senarath told a news conference yesterday that the government had not taken meaningful measures to revive the coconut industry despite Minister of Nation Building Salinda Dissanayake who is in charge of the subject threatening to submit his resignation if no effective steps are taken to revive the dying industry.

Mr. Senarath said the coconut industry is in dire straights because the excessive importation of palm oil to the country. He alleged that the import duty on palm oil had been reduced to 5 percent from 28 percent in order to satisfy a few businessmen who import palm oil and have state patronage.

Referring to other issues in the province, he said the security situation in the country is far from satisfactory as the police are not acting partially anymore. Mr. Senarath alleged that the police even reject complains lodged by UPFA members of the North Western Provincial Council on orders from above. Citing an example he said the complaint lodged by UPFA member of the Western Provincial Council Malraj Perera, that his car was damaged had not been acted upon by the police.

UNP Member of the Western Provincial Council Mohan Lal Grero who also participated in the news conference said the Bambalapitiya incident where police assaulted a mentally unsound youth to death would affect the country’s standing internationally.

He said the video clip could be viewed all over the world and a wrong impression would go out to the world.

Source: dailymirror.lk