Features

Meeting the national vegetable oil demand: Can Madhuca (‘Mee’) oil contribute?

Published

4 years ago

2022/01/2

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.

All News Advertisement

Features

Maduro abduction marks dangerous aggravation of ‘world disorder’

Published

23 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Venezuelan President Maduro being taken to a court in New York

The abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US special forces on January 3rd and his coercive conveying to the US to stand trial over a number of allegations leveled against him by the Trump administration marks a dangerous degeneration of prevailing ‘world disorder’. While some cardinal principles in International Law have been blatantly violated by the US in the course of the operation the fallout for the world from the exceptionally sensational VVIP abduction could be grave.

Although controversial US military interventions the world over are not ‘news’ any longer, the abduction and hustling away of a head of government, seen as an enemy of the US, to stand trial on the latter soil amounts to a heavy-handed and arrogant rejection of the foundational principles of international law and order. It would seem, for instance, that the concept of national sovereignty is no longer applicable to the way in which the world’s foremost powers relate to the rest of the international community. Might is indeed right for the likes of the US and the Trump administration in particular is adamant in driving this point home to the world.

Chief spokesmen for the Trump administration have been at pains to point out that the abduction is not at variance with national security related provisions of the US Constitution. These provisions apparently bestow on the US President wide powers to protect US security and stability through courses of action that are seen as essential to further these ends but the fact is that International Law has been brazenly violated in the process in the Venezuelan case.

To be sure, this is not the first occasion on which a head of government has been abducted by US special forces in post-World War Two times and made to stand trial in the US, since such a development occurred in Panama in 1989, but the consequences for the world could be doubly grave as a result of such actions, considering the mounting ‘disorder’ confronting the world community.

Those sections opposed to the Maduro abduction in the US would do well to from now on seek ways of reconciling national security-related provisions in the US Constitution with the country’s wider international commitment to uphold international peace and law and order. No ambiguities could be permitted on this score.

While the arbitrary military action undertaken by the US to further its narrow interests at whatever cost calls for criticism, it would be only fair to point out that the US is not the only big power which has thus dangerously eroded the authority of International Law in recent times. Russia, for example, did just that when it violated the sovereignty of Ukraine by invading it two or more years ago on some nebulous, unconvincing grounds. Consequently, the Ukraine crisis too poses a grave threat to international peace.

It is relevant to mention in this connection that authoritarian rulers who hope to rule their countries in perpetuity as it were, usually end up, sooner rather than later, being a blight on their people. This is on account of the fact that they prove a major obstacle to the implementation of the democratic process which alone holds out the promise of the progressive empowerment of the people, whereas authoritarian rulers prefer to rule with an iron fist with a fixation about self-empowerment.

Nevertheless, regime-change, wherever it may occur, is a matter for the public concerned. In a functional democracy, it is the people, and the people only, who ‘make or break’ governments. From this viewpoint, Russia and Venezuela are most lacking. But externally induced, militarily mediated change is a gross abnormality in the world of democracy, which deserves decrying.

By way of damage control, the US could take the initiative to ensure that the democratic process, read as the full empowerment of ordinary people, takes hold in Venezuela. In this manner the US could help in stemming some of the destructive fallout from its abduction operation. Any attempts by the US to take possession of the national wealth of Venezuela at this juncture are bound to earn for it the condemnation of democratic opinion the world over.

Likewise, the US needs to exert all its influence to ensure that the rights of ordinary Ukrainians are protected. It will need to ensure this while exploring ways of stopping further incursions into Ukrainian territory by Russia’s invading forces. It will need to do this in collaboration with the EU which is putting its best foot forward to end the Ukraine blood-letting.

Meanwhile, the repercussions that the Maduro abduction could have on the global South would need to be watched with some concern by the international community. Here too the EU could prove a positive influence since it is doubtful whether the UN would be enabled by the big powers to carry out the responsibilities that devolve on it with the required effectiveness.

What needs to be specifically watched is the ‘copycat effect’ that could manifest among those less democratically inclined Southern rulers who would be inspired by the Trump administration to take the law into their hands, so to speak, and act with callous disregard for the sovereign rights of their smaller and more vulnerable neighbours.

Democratic opinion the world over would need to think of systems of checks and balances that could contain such power abuse by Southern autocratic rulers in particular. The UN and democracy-supportive organizations, such as the EU, could prove suitable partners in these efforts.

All in all it is international lawlessness that needs managing effectively from now on. If President Trump carries out his threat to over-run other countries as well in the manner in which he ran rough-shod over Venezuela, there is unlikely to remain even a semblance of international order, considering that anarchy would be receiving a strong fillip from the US, ‘The World’s Mightiest Democracy’.

What is also of note is that identity politics in particularly the South would be unprecedentedly energized. The narrative that ‘the Great Satan’ is running amok would win considerable validity among the theocracies of the Middle East and set the stage for a resurgence of religious fanaticism and invigorated armed resistance to the US. The Trump administration needs to stop in its tracks and weigh the pros and cons of its current foreign policy initiatives.

Features

Pure Christmas magic and joy at British School

Published

23 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Students of The British High School in Colombo in action at the fashion show

The British School in Colombo (BSC) hosted its Annual Christmas Carnival 2025, ‘Gingerbread Wonderland’, which was a huge success, with the students themseles in the spotlight, managing stalls and volunteering.

The event, organised by the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), featured a variety of activities, including: Games and rides for all ages, Food stalls offering delicious treats, Drinks and refreshments, Trade booths showcasing local products, and Live music and entertainment.

The carnival was held at the school premises, providing a fun and festive atmosphere for students, parents, and the community to enjoy.

The halls of the BSC were filled with pure Christmas magic and joy with the students and the staff putting on a tremendous display.

Among the highlights was the dazzling fashion show with the students doing the needful, and they were very impressive.

The students themselves were eagerly looking forward to displaying their modelling technique and, I’m told, they enjoyed the moment they had to step on the ramp.

The event supported communities affected by the recent floods, with surplus proceeds going to flood-relief efforts.

Features

Glowing younger looking skin

Published

23 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Hi! This week I’m giving you some beauty tips so that you could look forward to enjoying 2026 with a glowing younger looking skin.

Face wash for natural beauty

* Avocado:

Take the pulp, make a paste of it and apply on your face. Leave it on for five minutes and then wash it with normal water.

* Cucumber:

Just rub some cucumber slices on your face for 02-03 minutes to cleanse the oil naturally. Wash off with plain water.

* Buttermilk:

Apply all over your face and leave it to dry, then wash it with normal water (works for mixed to oily skin).

Face scrub for natural beauty

Take 01-02 strawberries, 02 pieces of kiwis or 02 cubes of watermelons. Mash any single fruit and apply on your face. Then massage or scrub it slowly for at least 3-5 minutes in circular motions. Then wash it thoroughly with normal or cold water. You can make use of different fruits during different seasons, and see what suits you best! Follow with a natural face mask.

Face Masks

* Papaya and Honey:

Take two pieces of papaya (peeled) and mash them to make a paste. Apply evenly on your face and leave it for 30 minutes and then wash it with cold water.

Papaya is just not a fruit but one of the best natural remedies for good health and glowing younger looking skin. It also helps in reducing pimples and scars. You can also add honey (optional) to the mixture which helps massage and makes your skin glow.

* Banana:

Put a few slices of banana, 01 teaspoon of honey (optional), in a bowl, and mash them nicely. Apply on your face, and massage it gently all over the face for at least 05 minutes. Then wash it off with normal water. For an instant glow on your face, this facemask is a great idea to try!

* Carrot:

Make a paste using 01 carrot (steamed) by mixing it with milk or honey and apply on your face and neck evenly. Let it dry for 15-20 minutes and then wash it with cold water. Carrots work really well for your skin as they have many vitamins and minerals, which give instant shine and younger-looking skin.