Ishara MUDUGAMUWA
The domestic culinary consumption absorbs 70- 82 percent of the national coconut production, according to the statistics of the Coconut Research Institute, said Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development Minister Jagath Pushpakumara.
"Coconut is the major source of edible oil and fat in the Sri Lankan daily diet, providing 15 percent calorific intake and five percent of the daily protein intake of an average person," said the minister.
He added that the latest household income and expenditure survey has revealed that the annual per capita consumption of coconuts is 116 nuts of which 89 nuts are used in culinary preparations as fresh nuts and the rest is used as oil and others products.
"Coconuts are used for making toddy, arrack, trickle, jaggery and other domestic food and beverages apart from the direct consumption as dietary constituents and tender coconuts for drinking," said the minister.
"The total annual requirement of coconuts in 2016 will be 3,650 million nuts. It was 2,317 million nuts in 2010. Local consumption of fresh nuts in 2010 was 1,442 and it will be increased to 2,213 in 2016. The total number of coconuts required for the desiccated coconut industry in 2010 was 224 million nuts and it will be increased to 500 million nuts in 2016. About 773 million coconuts will be needed for the local coconut oil industry and 164 million coconuts will be needed for the production of other export coconut products," he said.
The minister said the ministry has taken a number of measures to meet the future demand.
The Economic Development Ministry, Bank of Ceylon and many other institutions are providing assistance to the ministry to continue its development programmes.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/04/20/news19.asp
No comments:
Post a Comment