• Many farmers aren’t aware of good harvesting practices
• Buffet-style dining in particular is wasteful, as large quantities of food are displayed. Proper portion control should be encouraged
• In retail, storage is oft poor, ventilation inadequate, and pests (rats, cockroaches), microorganisms, and diseases can easily access stored goods

Food safety and food waste are often treated as separate policy concerns, but, in reality, they are closely intertwined issues that shape Sri Lanka’s food system in very practical ways. On the one hand, the country continues to face recurring concerns over foodborne risks, weak storage practices, and the uneven enforcement of food safety standards. On the other, significant quantities of food are lost or discarded at different stages of the supply chain, from import and distribution to household consumption, raising broader questions of efficiency, cost, and sustainability.

With Sri Lanka being a developing economy that continues to grapple with economic challenges and malnutrition among sections of its population, The Daily Morning spoke to Emeritus Professor of Food Science and Technology at the Sri Jayewardenepura University’s Food Science and Technology Department, Prof K K D S Ranaweera to gain insight into the issue of food waste and the solutions that could be adopted to minimise it.

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Define food waste and how it occurs?  

The island generates approximately 7,000 tonnes of solid waste per day, of which, around 4,000 tonnes is estimated to be food waste, accounting for more than half of the total waste generated. The 7,000 tonnes of solid waste also include garden waste, paper, plastic, glass, metal and textiles.  Food waste refers to food that is still edible but is discarded for various reasons. This is a very unfortunate situation. There are two ways through which the availability of food is reduced. One is food loss, which occurs before food reaches household plates. Then, from the household level onwards, there is food loss and food waste. Together, these account for the 4,000 tonnes of food waste generated daily. The waste that occurs in Dambulla and other economic centres is classified as food loss because the food has not yet reached consumers' plates. However, once food reaches the market and consumers, the situation is different.

How significant is the impact of food waste and food loss on the prices of food?

According to different studies, there is wastage of around 40 per cent. Let’s assume that one kg of produce is worth Rs 100. If a farmer has 100 kgs of that produce, its initial value would be Rs 10,000. However, throughout the value chain, there can be losses of around 40 per cent. By the time the produce reaches the consumer, only about 60 kgs may remain after all the losses and waste.

During this journey, there are various stakeholders involved, including middlemen, transport operators, and collection centres. All of them seek to make a profit. As a result, a product that was initially worth Rs 100 per kg may cost more than Rs 300 per kg by the time it reaches the consumer – who ultimately pays.

All the intermediaries and stakeholders take their respective shares, but, the consumer bears the cost of the losses that occur throughout the supply chain.

Even after the food reaches our homes, some of it may spoil before it is used. Also, we often serve ourselves more food than we can eat, and a considerable amount ends up being left on the plate and wasted. This is particularly common at weddings and other social functions. It points to a problem in our attitude towards food and food waste. Even when a relatively small amount of food is left uneaten, it represents a financial loss of around Rs 25-30 per person. When added together with other forms of food waste, the total loss can exceed Rs 300. This is one way of measuring the economic cost of food waste.

Why has Sri Lanka been unable to formulate and sustain a national policy to reduce post-harvest losses?

Many farmers are not aware of good harvesting practices. Even after harvesting fruits, they are often left exposed to the sun, leading to losses. These are known as hidden losses. There are also pre-harvest losses, where poor crop management plays a significant role.

Another issue is handling at collection centres. The way that produce is stacked and stored has a major impact on losses. However, proper guidelines are often not followed, and handling practices remain poor.

Transport is another concern. There is no proper system for moving agricultural produce. In many cases, goods are simply stacked and transported without suitable packaging. Transporting produce in sacks also creates further problems; crates would be a better option.

However, stakeholders are not encouraged to adopt such methods. For example, produce is transported to Colombo, there is often nothing to carry on the return journey if the crates are used. This makes it difficult to maintain a crate-based system. A proper mechanism needs to be developed to address this. This could be done by the Government alone or through a public–private partnership to establish an effective system. Another issue is the lack of policy consistency. One Government may propose introducing crates, but, the next may not recognise the losses in the current system or continue the initiative. As a result, there is little support for a coherent national policy to reduce food losses. This is a serious drawback.

We also lack suitable transport vehicles and an adequate road network. In addition, labourers often travel in the rear of vehicles carrying agricultural produce. All these practices are not in line with proper transport standards and contribute to further losses.

How do poor coordination and the want of responsibility in the supply chain cater to food waste and what policies are needed to solve the issue?

When discussing food waste, ‘seasonality’ is an important factor. There may be mangoes at certain times of the year while at other times it may be tomatoes or pumpkins. Therefore, Sri Lanka needs a proper crop calendar. Farmers cannot do this alone; it requires farmer organisations, Government agencies, and other stakeholders working together. A coordinated effort is essential. The first step is to identify key needs and problem areas. Fruits and vegetables are highly prone to spoilage and damage. By considering seasonal changes and other causes of loss, the problem can be better managed. While zero waste is unrealistic, losses can be reduced through proper action by the Government and the relevant authorities.

The produce then moves from wholesale to retail, where storage is often poor. Ventilation is inadequate, and pests such as rats and cockroaches can easily access stored goods. There is currently no effective system to minimise such losses. Another concern is that poor storage conditions encourage pests, microorganisms, and diseases, leading to further losses. Food waste has effectively become no one’s responsibility, and there is limited focus on solving it. When all these factors are combined, they result in significant losses across the food supply chain.

Food safety being an essential requirement of food security, what steps should be taken to strengthen food safety standards and reduce food wastage?

Food safety is an in-built component of food security. For example, there may be 100 mangoes available, but, if two of them are damaged and unfit for consumption, that affects food security by reducing the amount of usable food. In such situations, food security is directly affected, challenged and compromised.

Talking about safety, one thing that affects waste is contamination. Although not our fault, spoilt food is contaminated with microbes. Animal waste can be a source of microorganisms. Therefore, we need to give very serious thought to food security, taking into account all its components, including food safety. Food safety has a major role to play in ensuring food security. In this regard, Public Health Inspectors also have an important role and responsibility.

 What about the waste that occurs at the retail level? 

Food waste also occurs at the retail and consumer levels. For example, when we go shopping, we tend to choose fruits and vegetables with a good appearance. If produce looks imperfect or is not visually attractive, many people avoid buying it, even though it may still be perfectly nutritious and safe to eat. As a result, it can go to waste.

This is an attitude that needs to change. Social media and the mainstream media can play an important role in educating the public that although some food items may look less attractive, their nutritional value and quality remain intact.

How much of Sri Lanka's food waste is caused by the consumer’s behaviour and poor household food storage practices?

 Food waste can also occur at home due to poor storage practices. Many households do not keep refrigerators at the recommended temperature of around 4 degrees Celsius. Microorganisms struggle to survive at low temperatures, with growth restricted between 0°C and 4°C. Above 4°C, conditions become ideal for rapid growth. This is known as the “temperature danger zone”.

Food should not be kept in this range for long. Refrigeration is meant to keep food out of this zone and slow microbial growth. A bad smell from the fridge may also indicate microbial activity. Poor kitchen practices during preparation and cooking also lead to unnecessary food loss due to improper handling and storage.

There is also a cultural factor. When expecting visitors, we often prepare more food than needed, resulting in leftovers. These are either discarded or forgotten in the fridge until they spoil, leading to further food and financial loss.

How does food waste occur at social functions and can it be minimised or resolved?  

Food waste also occurs in institutions such as restaurants, food service establishments, and eating houses, mostly at the point of consumption.

Personal behaviour is a key factor. At weddings and social functions, people often serve themselves more food than they can eat. What is left on the plate is not just wasted food, but also wasted water, money, labour, and other resources used in production. These hidden costs are often overlooked. From the customer side, over-serving contributes to waste. At the same time, hotels and restaurants often prepare excess food to avoid shortages, which also leads to significant wastage.

Some establishments are also reluctant to donate surplus food to charities. This needs to change, especially when many people still lack adequate food. Donating surplus food can also bring positive publicity and public goodwill, which may be more valuable than simply discarding it. Buffet-style dining in particular is wasteful, as large quantities of food are displayed. Proper portion control should therefore be encouraged. However, reducing waste is not the responsibility of hotels alone as customers too should change their behaviour.

It should also be noted that hotels do not usually absorb this cost. It is ultimately passed on to customers through pricing.

How significant is the problem of food wastage in markets such as the Manning Market?

In markets, especially fish markets, there are issues in handling practices. Fresh items such as meat, fish, and dairy products need to be kept at low temperatures, ideally under proper refrigeration. Foods like meat, fish, milk, and cheese are widely consumed as they are rich in nutrients, they spoil easily. They therefore require careful handling and correct temperature control during storage.

For example, in places like the Manning Market, a large amount of food is discarded daily. While consumers carefully select what they buy, significant quantities of unsold or spoiled food are thrown away, sometimes amounting to several thousand tonnes. When edible food is wasted, it leads to major losses. Disposal also requires fuel, labour, and money, and adequate dumping space. In addition, piled-up waste can cause leakage and create serious hygiene issues.

There is also a general attitude that once food is classified as waste, it can be discarded without concern, with little effort to separate edible portions or compostable material. Instead, everything is often thrown away together. These practices need to be addressed at a national level, with greater public responsibility and awareness.

Do hospitals - especially State hospitals contribute towards food waste? 

Food waste also occurs in other institutions such as hospitals, where significant amounts can be wasted.

For example, visitors often bring more food than a patient can consume. This food, whether prepared at home or bought elsewhere, is often eventually discarded. This results in a loss of food, money, and resources. In public hospitals, it also means the waste of taxpayer-funded resources. Such waste can be reduced, it requires changes in attitude and behaviour. The media also has an important role in raising awareness, encouraging responsible practices, and shaping public attitudes towards reducing food waste.

Has the Government implemented any interventions so far?

There has been little that people can actually see or experience at the ground level. Most Governments have been quite indifferent to the issue. Their approach tends to be different, and they often view the problem only superficially.

We need a transport system that covethe 25 Districts. This amounts to around 323 Divisional Secretariat (DS) Divisions, and several Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions within each DS Division. Altogether, there are about 14,025 GN Divisions. Ideally, every GN Division should have information on how much produce is required within its area and how much needs to be brought in from outside. In effect, it would function like a system of imports and exports within the country. If all GN Divisions were connected through a single network, we could identify how much each village needs and how much it produces, even by commodity. Each DS Division should maintain its own database, and these databases should be linked into one national system. This would provide the authorities with a clear picture of supply and demand across the country. In addition, there should be a centralised Global Positioning System-based transport service to move produce efficiently between regions. For example, onions grown in Jaffna could be transported to Tangalle, where they are not cultivated. Similarly, paddy produced in Tangalle could be sent to areas where there is demand. This transport service could be managed as a public-private partnership. This would be one of the most effective ways to reduce food waste. It would also help address over-storage, which is another major cause of waste.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the interviewee, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication