The Palm Oil Industry Association of Sri Lanka (POIASL) has urged the Government to reconsider the 2021 ban on oil palm cultivation, citing its economic, environmental, and strategic benefits.
Speaking at the association’s fifth AGM, President Dr. Rohan Fernando criticized the ban as an “ill-conceived decision” lacking scientific basis, driven by vested interests. He emphasized that oil palm is the most efficient vegetable oil crop, meeting over 40% of global demand.
Fernando argued that expanding oil palm cultivation could reduce edible oil imports, save foreign exchange, and create jobs. He highlighted India’s accelerated oil palm expansion as a model and called for collaboration with major producers like Indonesia, Malaysia, and India.
The AGM concluded optimistically, with hopes that the new administration will reconsider the ban to align with its goals of food security, poverty alleviation, and economic growth.
