Features
Meeting the national vegetable oil demand: Can Madhuca (‘Mee’) oil contribute?
by Dr Parakrama Waidyanatha
The President, earlier this year, regrettably and without an in- depth examination of issues at stake, decided to ban import of palm oil totally, and expand the cultivation of coconut to meet the total local vegetable oil demand. It was also decided to uproot the existing oil palm cultivations amounting to some 12,000 hectares. The ‘grapevine’ suggests he was misguided by a former chairman of a coconut institution, that his wife died of cancer having consumed palm oil, that lead him to this decision! The President should have consulted the Coconut Research Institute and other experts in the field before rushing into such a decision. There is no published research evidence supporting an oil palm- related cancer risk.
However, within weeks the government was forced to retract from banning palm oil and the associated gazette notification following objections from the Ambassadors of Malaysia and Indonesia, two countries we import palm oil from. Their concern obviously would have been the wrong impression given, by the ban, to the world at large about palm oil, apart from a possible reprisal by the two countries by way of banning import of garments from Sri Lanka. Imported palm oil accounts for 74% of our current total vegetable oil supply, whereas the local coconut oil production satisfies a mere 13%; and we also import 11% of our coconut oil needs Table 1). So the local coconut production can never meet our total vegetable oil demand.
The ban also instigated ‘Solidaridad’, an international civil society organization operating across five continents, striving, amongst other things, for fair trade and agricultural production that respects people and the planet, to launch a study on the local palm oil ban, reasons for it, and its consequences on the local vegetable oil availability. A report, in fact a book, under the aegis of this organization written by local and foreign experts in the relevant subjects is to be launched on January 19, 2022.
Potential for expanding coconut cultivation
There is no comprehensive study on the actual land available for expansion of coconut cultivation. A Coconut Research Institute study based on soil maps reveal the total extent suitable for coconut including the extent already in coconut to be about 1. 86 million ha; the current extent being about 470,000 ha. How much of that land is physically available for coconut is not known; and even if a part of it is available the question is whether the landowners would use it for coconut cultivation or other purposes. Furthermore, global warming and associated weather changes can seriously constrain coconut growing in the Intermediate and Dry Zones.. A recent finding of the CRI is that increased ambient temperatures in the dry zone, especially during dry periods, inhibit pollen germination leading to poor fruit set, limiting the potential for expansion of coconut cultivation in the area.
On the other hand, of the total paddy cover of 158,000 hectares in the wet zone some 57,000 ha are left fallow.. On the whole, cultivation of paddy in the wet zone is uneconomic as evident from the Table 2, largely because of increasing input costs, especially fertilizer and labour, and poor yields.
It is therefore worth considering cultivation of coconut, oil palm or other suitable crops such as vegetables in those soils, after draining them, and collecting the water in ponds at the bottom of the slope for fish culture.
On the other hand, the potentiality of growing coconut in tea as a shade crop too should be explored, as seen in the picture below, and many tea growers in the wet zone are already resorting to it. However, coconut can be planted in tea only with new or replanting of the tea. Therefore, only limited tea lands should be theoretically available at the current replanting rate of 1% or less.
Coconut as our oil crop
Until about the late 1980s, the coconut production was adequate for our culinary consumption vegetable oil demand, even with a substantial share of it being value added and exported. However, over the years, the demand for conventional coconut oil declined and was replaced by the increasing demand for desiccated coconut, virgin coconut oil, coconut cream, coconut milk and milk powder (Table 3)
So the government must not impose a policy of growing coconut for oil only but promote coconut cultivation and allow profits and demand determine which coconut products should be produced.
Madhuca, a multipurpose but underutilized crop
Madhuca longifolia (Mee) is a multipurpose crop, also called ‘Honey Tree’ and ‘Butter Fruit Tree’ with much value as an oil and medicinal crop. Its leaves, flowers, bark and seeds are used in numerous aurvedic treatments. Flowers are used to treat chronic bronchitis and eye diseases; a mixture of flowers and milk is claimed to help in curing impotency and general debility. The flowers are also widely used in the manufacture of liquor as well as different types of food products. Also, the juice of flowers is used to cure many skin diseases. Decoctions prepared from the bark are said to be effective against diabetes. Seed oil is edible and is also used in the treatment of chronic constipation and piles and it also acts as a laxative. Leaves of Madhuca are used in the treatment of eczema.
It is a tropical and sub-tropical tree growing in several Asian and Australian forests and is also cultivated by villagers in some parts of India. Another species Maduca indica appears to be more popular in India, and its oil is also used amongst other things as a biofuel but not much as a dietary oil unlike that of M. longifolia. Both species also called ‘Mahua’ are widely grown in Uttar Pradesh, Madya Pradesh, Gujarat, South India, in three district of Karnataka and monsoon forests of Western Ghats. They flower and fruit by about the 10th year, and about 50-100kg of flowers are produced per season per tree.
Madhuca oil
Madhuca longifolia (Mee) oil has been consumed as an edible oil from antiquity in Sri Lanka and many other countries, apart its numerous other uses as an aurvedic drug. It has also been used for lighting oil lamps. No formal plantings are available locally as far as the writer knows. Fruits from scattered trees especially in the dry zone are collected and seeds used for making oil. It grows in many parts of the dry zone, especially along river banks. Notably, Madhuca has an oil yield potential more than thrice the national coconut oil yield. Probably with varietal selection and genetic improvement, it should be possible to increase yields further. The tree can also be vegetatively propagated.
The oil has a very healthy fatty acid composition, closer to olive oil than coconut or palm oil (Table 4). The high saturated fatty acid composition of coconut has been implicated in the causation of coronary heart disease. In that context, apart from the much higher yield, the high monounsaturated fat content(46%) of Madhuca makes it more heart-friendly in that whereas saturated fatty acids increase both the good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterols, monounsaturated fatty acids increase the good cholesterol and is reported to decrease the bad one.
Thus given the limitations of growing coconut in the dry zone, the higher potential yield of Madhuca and its excellent fatty acid composition, it is potentially a far better crop for expanding in the dry zone. The government should take immediate action to establish a research project, ideally under the Coconut Research Institute to study the potential for its cultivation and uses.
Concluding remarks
Coconut cultivation should certainly be expanded as far as possible as it is a multi-purpose crop. It is a major component in the Sri Lankan diet and has a high demand for value added products. However, its promotion and cultivation expansion should not merely be for oil but based on value added product demand and prices.
At the same time given the massive palm oil demand for consumption as a dietary oil and in many other value added products (Table 2),and costing the country Rs 37 billion annually for its imports, expansion of its cultivation too should be promoted, both in the plantation sector and as a smallholder crop. The farmers should be given the option of crop choice given its far greater returns than from tea, coconut or rubber.
A serious concern has been the declining tea yields, and the some of the low yielding tea lands in the wet zone as also unproductive rubber lands should ideally be converted to oil palm apart from abandoned paddy fields. Oil palm is the highest oil yielding oil crop in the world, yielding on average about four tons per hectare as against less than one ton/ha for soya bean and coconut, and giving far higher returns than any other plantation crop. Sri Lanka should target cultivating in at least about another 50,000 ha of oil palm, engaging also smallholders, as it happens in Malaysia and Indonesia to meet our vegetable oil demand. Reports reveal far higher income earning by them and vastly improved livelihoods as against other plantation crop smallholders.
Concurrently, serious consideration should be given for development of formal cultivations of Madhuca both as an oil and medicinal crop given its vast potential, as happens in India. Ideally dry zone lands should be targeted given the limitations of coconut cultivation in those lands as stated above.
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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