Sri Lanka launches second king coconut village in Badulla
Newswire: Sri Lanka has established its second king coconut village in the Badulla District as part of a national programme to develop 250 king coconut villages across the country.
The village was inaugurated in Dehigama, Rideemaliyadda, on October 10, under the “Ceylon King Coconut Village – 250” programme, which aims to expand cultivation and increase export earnings.
According to the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, the programme aims to increase Sri Lanka’s annual king coconut production by 25 million nuts and boost export revenue from king coconuts and related products by more than US$12 million by 2030.
Under the initiative, 212,500 new king coconut seedlings are expected to be planted between 2026 and 2028, while 221,500 existing trees will be rehabilitated to improve productivity.
During the event, 500 king coconut seedlings were symbolically distributed among growers. Another 500 coconut seedlings were distributed to 250 families under a home gardening initiative linked to the Praja Shakthi poverty alleviation programme.
Financial assistance was also provided to beneficiaries under the coconut land rehabilitation programme.
The ministry said irrigation systems would be developed to cover 500 acres of king coconut cultivation, helping farmers maintain production during dry periods.
A new data management system is also planned to connect growers, collectors and exporters, covering activities from cultivation and harvesting to processing and exports.
The national programme was launched on September 2.
Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna, Badulla District MP Sudath Balagalla and several government officials attended the event.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka is seeking to diversify its export base through high-value agricultural products, with king coconut emerging as a promising sector for foreign businesses/investors amid efforts to expand cultivation, improve processing capacity and access international markets. The Government’s “Ceylon King Coconut Village – 250” programme aims to establish 250 cultivation villages across the country, increase annual production by 25 million nuts and generate more than US$12 million in additional export revenue from king coconuts and related products by 2030. The establishment of the country’s second king coconut village in Dehigama, Rideemaliyadda, in the Badulla District, marks another step towards expanding cultivation and strengthening the supply chain. The growing sector offers business/investment opportunities for foreign businesses in commercial cultivation, modern processing facilities, packaging, cold-chain logistics and export distribution. Value-added products such as bottled king coconut water, concentrates and other coconut-based beverages could also help Sri Lanka tap into premium overseas markets. International companies could collaborate with local growers and exporters to introduce advanced processing technologies, improve product quality and establish traceable supply chains that meet global food safety standards. With growing interest in natural beverages and plant-based products, Sri Lanka has the potential to position king coconut as a premium tropical drink. Realising this potential, however, will depend on a reliable supply, competitive production costs, adequate shelf life and compliance with destination-market regulations. To strengthen production, the Sri Lankan Government plans to plant 212,500 new seedlings between 2026 and 2028, rehabilitate 221,500 existing trees and develop irrigation systems covering 500 acres. Beyond fresh coconut exports, the sector offers scope to build an integrated industry encompassing cultivation, value addition, branding and international distribution. With improved production capacity and access to overseas markets, king coconut could become a more significant contributor to Sri Lanka’s agricultural export earnings.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20261020Z_1 |