The Ministry of Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Conservation says Sri Lanka lost between 180 to 200 million coconuts in 2022 due to wild animals.
The Ministry said Sri Lanka records an annual coconut harvest of between 2,500-3,000 million while a fluctuation is reported due to droughts, damages from wild animals and other pestilential conditions.
However, the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agricultural Research and Training Institute said the most damage to coconut cultivations is caused by monkeys, toque macaques and giant squirrels.
According to a study conducted by the institute over the agricultural and wildlife conflict in Sri Lanka, it was revealed that from January to June 2022 coconut plantations suffered the most crop damage due to wildlife attacks.
As a result, 93 million coconuts were destroyed by monkeys, toque macaques and giant squirrels and as of the end of 2022 the figure increased to between 180-200 million coconuts.
According to the report, 200 agricultural development areas were damaged by toque macaques, 180 agricultural development areas by giant squirrels, and 50 areas were damaged by monkeys.
The institute stated that 57,815 hectares of coconut plantations were damaged by wildlife.
The Ministry noted that most damages by wildlife was caused in Kurunegala, Puttalam, Ratnapura, Kegalle, and Moneragala during 2022.
Subject Minister Mahinda Amaraweera meanwhile appointed a committee headed by Secretaries of the two Ministries and the Director General of Wildlife to obtain views and suggestions of interested parties to reduce the damages caused to crops by wild animals.
