The Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure has reportedly received Cabinet instructions to formulate a criteria required to lift the ban currently imposed on oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka.In April 2021, Sri Lanka on Monday banned imports of palm oil and new palm plantations, and told producers to uproot existing plantations in a phased manner, amid strong opposition over its potential impact on the country’s ecosystems.

With a proposal now being put forward to expand cultivation once again, the debate over potential environmental damage has also returned to the forefront.Previously, the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) had imposed strict restrictions on cultivation following a study conducted by a panel of experts.

At present, oil palm is cultivated in nearly 9,500 hectares of land in the country, while plantation companies have submitted requests to the government to further expand cultivation.Accordingly, an expert committee appointed by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure has reportedly made recommendations to permit oil palm cultivation on up to 20,000 hectares.

Water resources depleted

One of the main environmental concerns associated with oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka is extensive water consumption.A research study conducted in the Nakiyadeniya and Sapumalkanda estates in the Galle District of Sri Lanka’s low-country wet zone found that a single oil palm tree consumes significantly more water per day than a rubber tree.According to the study, a single oil palm tree at the Nakiyadeniya Estate used around 239.49 litres of water per day, while the daily water consumption of a rubber tree was around 42.17 litres.At Sapumalkanda, the respective figures were 277.94 litres and 53.07 litres.However, the researchers have pointed out that the study was conducted over a short period and, therefore, these figures cannot be directly applied to all cultivation areas in the country.

Another Sri Lankan study scientifically assessed the issue after complaints were received from residents regarding groundwater levels and the depth of wells in areas surrounding oil palm plantations.The study compared water conditions in areas under oil palm and rubber cultivation with those in natural forest areas.

Impact on soil