Daily News (02/12/2025) - They pointed out that Sri Lanka is the only country in the world that has banned oil palm cultivation while countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, and India generate millions of dollars in foreign exchange from oil palm cultivation, alleging that the ban was not made on a scientific basis.

While participating in an expert panel discussion in Colombo recently on pros and cons of the oil palm cultivation, smallholder growers demanded that opportunities be provided again for oil palm cultivation, which generates more income at lower cost and requires less maintenance and labor costs.

The Chief Guest for this event, Sri Lankan Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, Dewi Gustina Tobing said that in Indonesia, which is currently the world leader in palm oil production and industry, ideological problems arose in the early stages, just like in Sri Lanka. She pointed out that the oil palm plant has high potential to produce biofuels, which are a crop that meets the edible oil needs of the large population living in the Asian region and a basic need for the future world economy.

She also said that the Asian and African regions can obtain a good harvest from the oil palm plant. It is Europe that creates the idea that this crop will cause environmental or social problems.

“We need to rethink about that since the oil farm industry has been a unique factor in strengthening the rural economy of Indonesia. Even though Sri Lanka is our main buyer, we would like to be a part of Sri Lanka’s oil palm cultivation,” she added.

Dr. Shatadra Chattopadhyay, Managing Director of Solidaridad Network Asia said that oil palm is a great answer to the global economy’s pressing need for edibleoil. He added that compared to all other oil crops, oil palm is a leading crop that can produce more oil at a lower cost and can contribute significantly to the economy by managing environmental conditions well.

The chairman of the Haritha Derana Smallholder Association Nimal Wijesinghe said while participating in the scholarly discussion, that the ban on oil palm cultivation was made without any scientific basis.

“I live in the Baduraliya area of Kalutara district. We have been growing mainly tea, rubber and coconuts in our area. However, due to the increased rainfall, we are not able to earn a decent income from rubber. Also, the shortage of workers is a serious issue. Therefore, if we can grow a oil palm trees along with other crops on small plots of land, the economic condition of the people in our villages will improve,” he said,

A group of local and foreign experts, including environmentalists, professors in economics and a panel of scholars who have conducted research on agriculture and the plantation industry, participated in the event.

Read more at https://dailynews.lk/2025/12/02/business/906246/smallholders-and-experts-urge-resumption-of-oil-palm-cultivation/