By Tharumalee Silva
While oil palm cultivation is being prohibited across the European Union (EU), oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka has increased beyond control, The Sunday Morning learns.
As of late, oil palm cultivation has been looked down upon by environmentalists and scientists alike due to the overextending harmful capacities the process upholds.
Being responsible for 8% of the world’s deforestation, oil palm cultivation has become a massive threat to the environment, especially within Sri Lanka.
Extensive research conducted by environmentalists reveals that oil palm cultivation poses a threat to already existing plantations as well.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, renowned environmentalist Jagath Gunawardena stated: “Palm cultivation which dries up the environment is done in the wet zone. So, rivers and streams running through the cultivation zone disappear.”
Adding to this, he stated that the biodiversity in Sri Lanka is facing an imminent threat from these cultivation farms.
Biodiversity threat
“From the studies we conducted, we have observed a significant decrease in the biodiversity surrounding palm cultivation,” Gunawardena said.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), palm cultivation has affected 193 species of the organisation's book of threatened species. The statistics presented by the IUCN conclude the expansion of palm cultivation negatively influences 54% of all threatened mammals and 64% of all threatened birds around the globe.
“There are issues of certain invasive species being created as well. For example, peacocks have been migrating to the cultivations. The peacock has now become a problem in the wet zone as the dry environment created by the palm farms is the ideal habitat for them to procreate”, he said.
Further, Gunawardena stated that these cultivations provide a suitable breeding ground for invasive species such as snakes and vipers.
“Last year, after the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) conducted extensive research, a Cabinet paper was gazetted to prohibit oil palm cultivations within the island,” Gunawardena informed.
Adding to this, he stated that it is mandatory to do a strategic environmental assessment before planting oil palm seeds, and the Government has granted a moratorium for this research to be done.
Business mind-set
“However, there have been several plantation companies that are trying to reverse this declaration as oil palm cultivation is very profitable,” he said.
Gunawardena stated that there is a 130% tax imposed on imported palm oils; therefore, the less costly method of obtaining these oils is to grow the oil domestically.
“Further, there is a 75% waste generation from these oils. There have been countless court cases due to this issue due to pollution of water,” he said.
This was further verified by the Coconut Research Institute (CRI) which allegedly issued a report proving that it’s more profitable to produce palm oil than to produce to coconut oil.
“Two hectares of oil palm cultivation produces four tonnes of oil. This led to the expansion of palm oil cultivation across 20,000 hectares,” he said.
Leading states in oil palm cultivation such as Malaysia have prohibited its cultivation due to precarious environmental factors.
According to Gunawardena, creating a substitute nation was the underlying objective. “Investors are now looking into countries like Sri Lanka for cultivation,” he said.
Gunawardena further stated that soil erosion, loss of fertile land, and loss of mineral water are the main threats a country faces when cultivating oil palm.
“These are cascading issues. The palm oil factories have a high demand of biological oxygen, which means organic matter is reduced and waste is increased. When this waste matter enters rivers, the environmental system is completely polluted,” Gunawardena said.
Main conclusions made by the Central Environmental Authority when conducting research on oil palm cultivation;
While oil palm cultivation is being prohibited across the European Union (EU), oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka has increased beyond control, The Sunday Morning learns.
As of late, oil palm cultivation has been looked down upon by environmentalists and scientists alike due to the overextending harmful capacities the process upholds.
Being responsible for 8% of the world’s deforestation, oil palm cultivation has become a massive threat to the environment, especially within Sri Lanka.
Extensive research conducted by environmentalists reveals that oil palm cultivation poses a threat to already existing plantations as well.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, renowned environmentalist Jagath Gunawardena stated: “Palm cultivation which dries up the environment is done in the wet zone. So, rivers and streams running through the cultivation zone disappear.”
Adding to this, he stated that the biodiversity in Sri Lanka is facing an imminent threat from these cultivation farms.
Biodiversity threat
“From the studies we conducted, we have observed a significant decrease in the biodiversity surrounding palm cultivation,” Gunawardena said.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), palm cultivation has affected 193 species of the organisation's book of threatened species. The statistics presented by the IUCN conclude the expansion of palm cultivation negatively influences 54% of all threatened mammals and 64% of all threatened birds around the globe.
“There are issues of certain invasive species being created as well. For example, peacocks have been migrating to the cultivations. The peacock has now become a problem in the wet zone as the dry environment created by the palm farms is the ideal habitat for them to procreate”, he said.
Further, Gunawardena stated that these cultivations provide a suitable breeding ground for invasive species such as snakes and vipers.
“Last year, after the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) conducted extensive research, a Cabinet paper was gazetted to prohibit oil palm cultivations within the island,” Gunawardena informed.
Adding to this, he stated that it is mandatory to do a strategic environmental assessment before planting oil palm seeds, and the Government has granted a moratorium for this research to be done.
Business mind-set
“However, there have been several plantation companies that are trying to reverse this declaration as oil palm cultivation is very profitable,” he said.
Gunawardena stated that there is a 130% tax imposed on imported palm oils; therefore, the less costly method of obtaining these oils is to grow the oil domestically.
“Further, there is a 75% waste generation from these oils. There have been countless court cases due to this issue due to pollution of water,” he said.
This was further verified by the Coconut Research Institute (CRI) which allegedly issued a report proving that it’s more profitable to produce palm oil than to produce to coconut oil.
“Two hectares of oil palm cultivation produces four tonnes of oil. This led to the expansion of palm oil cultivation across 20,000 hectares,” he said.
Leading states in oil palm cultivation such as Malaysia have prohibited its cultivation due to precarious environmental factors.
According to Gunawardena, creating a substitute nation was the underlying objective. “Investors are now looking into countries like Sri Lanka for cultivation,” he said.
Gunawardena further stated that soil erosion, loss of fertile land, and loss of mineral water are the main threats a country faces when cultivating oil palm.
“These are cascading issues. The palm oil factories have a high demand of biological oxygen, which means organic matter is reduced and waste is increased. When this waste matter enters rivers, the environmental system is completely polluted,” Gunawardena said.
Main conclusions made by the Central Environmental Authority when conducting research on oil palm cultivation;
- Importing and exporting palm oil seeds should be prohibited by law.
- When planting the seeds which have already been imported, a strategic environmental assessment should be done, and the seeds should only be planted on cleared land.
- District Secretariats should monitor the on goings of the existing palm oil cultivations.
- Plantation companies must put forth an environmental management plan with regards to their existing cultivations. Further, prior to the companies activating the management plan, the Ministry of Plantation Industries must approve it via a special committee.
- Environment friendly plantations such as tea, rubber, and coconut are being substituted by palm oil cultivation.
- Cultivation of palm trees without an efficient environmental management plan.
- In dry weather conditions, water bodies surrounding palm cultivation have a tendency to dry up faster than usual.
- The oil palm seed is a natural pollinator. Therefore, the growth of the plant would be uncontrollable. These plants would invade natural bodies and dry up its inhabiting areas.
- The plants pose a threat to the surrounding bio diversity. Observations revealed a significant decrease in biodiversity and an increase in invasive species such as vipers and snakes that thrive in dry climates.
- Unlike rubber or coconut trees, oil palm trees do not have a useful tree bark.