The Magic Land – The Land of Abundance

Unique Placement and Ecology

Situated in the tropical belt, Sri Lanka is a unique island by far. Geographically, it lies on the Indian Plate and belongs to the Indian subcontinent. But the separation from the southern tip of India by the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait allowed it to develop in its own way. Sri Lanka is a relatively small island with an area of 65,610 square kilometres. Nevertheless, it has different terrains, elevations and climate zones that contribute to the island’s uniqueness.
Most of the northern and eastern areas in Sri Lanka are made of flats and rolling plains. The mountains are concentrated in the south-central part. These provide the country with three main elevations, namely low country (0 – 300 metres), mid-country (300 – 900 metres), and upcountry (above 900 metres to the highest point of 2,524 metres at Pidurutalagala). The mountains create a barrier to the monsoon winds and thus play an important role in the formation of the island’s vivid climate. Based on the annual rainfall, the island has three major climatic zones: wet (5,000 – 2,500 mm), dry (1,750 – 900 mm) and intermediate 2,500 – 1,750 mm).

The major weather influence in Sri Lanka is the Bay of Bengal, which is situated to the east of the island. The large mass of land of South Asia to the north and the open Indian Ocean to the south and west also have a bearing on climate. Together, they create two major monsoons and two inter-monsoon periods that affect the rainfall, temperature and winds in Sri Lanka.

The southwest monsoon, which spans from mid-May to September.
The northeast monsoon usually starts in December and ends in February.
The first inter-monsoon covers the period from March to mid-May.
The second inter-monsoon lasts from October to November.

The irrigation of the country is made by some 103 rivers, each of which also adds to agricultural diversification.

The island also has a significant temperature difference between the low and high elevations. The average yearly temperature level for the island varies between 28 to 300C, whereas day and night temperature may change by 14 to 180C. On northeast coast flats, the temperature may go up as high as 380C, while in the Central Highlands, the temperature averages around 170C, with drops to 50C overnight during the coldest winter month, January.

Sri Lanka has different types of soils, which change depending on the location. Their forming processes are dictated by climate conditions, lithology and terrain. The major soil types that can be found in the country are:

Reddish Brown Earth Soil,
Non-calcic Brown Soil,
Red-Yellow Podzolic Soil,
Reddish Brown Lateritic Soil,
Red-Yellow Latosols,
Immature Brown Loamy Soil,
Rendzina Soil,
Grumosols Soil,
Solodized Solonetz Soil,
Low-Humic Glay Soil,
Meadow Podzolic Soil,
Alluvial Soil.

Their characteristics significantly determine the crop selection for each area. But this only increases the diversity of the crops that are cultivated across the island and enriches their taste profiles.

These variations provide the island with year-round warm weather conditions that are moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture. Seasonal, and day and night temperature variations create suitable conditions for quite a large spectrum of fruits, vegetables and grains to grow. At the same time, they also play a vital role in forming fruits with richer and more succulent taste profiles.

All these may explain why Sri Lanka brags abundant harvests almost all year around, and unique sweeter, succulent and richer tastes of fruits and vegetables grown in its borders.

Island’s Fruits and Vegetable Agriculture

Boasting the highest biodiversity per unit area among Asian countries, Sri Lanka claims 27% of its 3,210 flowering plants as endemic. This, however, only increases its ability to adapt various other plant species to its soil and climate conditions. Thus, many fruits and vegetables that were brought to the island from other parts of the world have well adapted and acquired some unique characteristics in taste profiles and juiciness.

Today, Sri Lanka grows around 80 different varieties of fruits and vegetables round the country, and their number and varieties will probably grow with time, as new technologies and methods are introduced to increase the cultivated areas and the yields.

The high country, with its cooler temperatures and wet zones, is an ideal place to grow temperate crops like salad leaves, cabbage, cauliflower, leek, bell pepper, salad cucumber, carrot, beetroot and beans. While the low country with its dry and wet zones is more suitable for tropical fruits and vegetables, such as melon, sweet and sour banana varieties, pineapple, papaya, mango, mangosteen, ripe jackfruit, avocado, rambutan, starfruit, anona, lemon, and green chilli, red onion, pumpkin, bitter gourd, breadfruit, young jackfruit, moringa and gherkins. Some of these are exported in fresh and processed form to the Middle East, the Maldives, and Europe.

Nature conservation projects and modern trends for healthy living have been instrumental in bringing back the age-old natural way of growing crops intertwined with modern technology. This has increased the number of areas registering for organic certification, thus lifting the quality of the products to new levels.

Among other crops grown in Sri Lanka are decorative plants, oilseed crops, spices, yams, several types of grains with rice being the major crop, and tea, rubber and coconut which became the first export crops of the island and still contribute to the country’s economy. The next section will discuss coconut, its history and its uses in some detail.

Coconut – The Tree of Life

History of Sri Lankan Coconut

What is coconut?

The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) or the coconut tree is a woody perennial monocotyledon. Technically, it is not a tree. It has a single stem, which is widely called a trunk, and leaves that many refer to as fronds. But to ease the perception, and keep to more familiar terms used round the world, we will refer to it as the ‘coconut tree’ or the ‘coconut palm.’

It is one of the oldest plants on the Earth, as well. There are fossil records, indicating that coconut has been around for tens of millions of years at least.

Origins of the coconut.

It is still unclear where exactly did the coconut tree originated from. Quite many theories are being studied and proposed, with some having more data to back them up than others. However, the majority consider Java and Sumatra to be the origin of the coconut palm.

Its distribution round the world is another mystery. Two distinct lines of coconut palms have been dispersed in opposite directions round the world without a clear answer to why it happened so. However, two methods are mentioned always, when ways of coconut distribution are discussed: the ‘natural’ dispersal via ocean currents, and being introduced to new places of habitat by mariners and tradesmen. These are considered having worked interchangeably and sometimes even in parallel at different times and places. At present, coconut palms can be found around equatorial waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

In the beginning, coconuts were found only in the coastal areas of Sri Lanka. Hence, it is believed that they arrived on the island by freely floating ocean currents across the Bay of Bengal.

History of Coconut in Sri Lanka.

The history of the coconuts in Sri Lanka goes so far back that there are no records on how, where, and when exactly Sri Lankans began to use and cultivate coconuts. However, about the year 300 B.C., a mention of Sri Lankan coconuts was made to the Indian King Chandragupta. This is the earliest known document on the matter. Ancient Indian epic Ramayana supports the above, stating that coconuts in Sri Lanka were present in the coastal areas even before the 1st century B.C.

Ancient beliefs and worshipping of various nature gods and demons were intertwined in Buddhist rituals after this philosophy was introduced to Sri Lanka. Some of these, where various parts of the coconut are used, can still be found during auspicious ceremonies, religious rituals and pagan exercises of exorcism and medical rituals. The latter is used very rarely now and is mainly replaced by proper Western medicine or Ayurveda treatments.

It is safe to assume that coconuts were already used by the locals at those times. Because by the 2nd century A.D., coconuts were being planted in neat rows in plantations according to the Roman emperor Aurelian. By the 5th century A.D., Sri Lanka was engaged in trading coconuts and arrack, a fermented alcoholic beverage made out of coconut sap. This indicates that ancient Sri Lankans had a good knowledge and understanding of the coconut palm and its uses even then. It is believed that by that time, locals widely used the coconut in their cooking, drinking its water, and in some capacity as a medicine, apart from the popular toddy and arrack productions. The leaves were used as a roofing material, baskets and other items, while coconut fibres were mainly used to make ropes.

Recognition of the Economic Value of Coconut.

The practical and economic usefulness of coconuts was noted on the highest level on the island, and by the 589 A.D. King Agga Boddhi I ordered a coconut plantation between Dondra and Weligama. Thus, the first-ever man-made coconut plantation is caused by Sri Lanka. Other rulers of Sri Lanka continued to encourage coconut plantations, extending their areas and taking them to newer places further along the coast and deeper into the island.

Sri Lankan coconut trade with Indian, Arab, Greek, Malay, Chinese and later other European tradesmen and mariners grew, increasing the economic value of the coconut palm. This interest has caused the expansion of coconut plantations and their value. By the 15th century A.D., coconut plantations extended from Chilaw to Matara and inland they were presented to Buddhist monasteries to sustain their existence by the kings. Even to this day, many leading Buddhist monasteries in Sri Lanka have their coconut plantations as the core provider of their means.

The colonisation of Sri Lanka by the Portuguese in the early 16th century A.D. didn’t change much for the coconut industry. Portuguese soldiers mostly enjoyed arrack or toddy and nothing was done to further the coconut development. The same was enjoyed by later Dutch and British soldiers as well.

However, Dutch did see coconut as a good means to improve the nation’s agricultural output and did take an interest in developing Sri Lanka’s coconut plantations. And in 1730, governor Gustaaf Willem Baron van Imhoff, representative of the Dutch East India Company, promoted coconut plantations. One of his initiatives was to give out the land between Colombo and Kalutara to those who were interested in planting coconut trees. This project was to increase the sales of the Dutch East India Company, but just a short twenty years later it was abandoned, because it conflicted with cinnamon production.

Still, Sri Lankans kept true to the coconut tree, as they already knew it was a ‘kapruka’ or a “tree of life.” They continued to propagate coconuts round the island, using inland bodies of water and breeding new coconut plantations. This is when the special area between Kurunegala, Puttalam, and Gampaha was noted to be most suitable for coconut growing. Most ideal soil and climatic conditions of that area produced bigger and tastier fruits and larger harvests. Thus, Sri Lankan famous Coconut Triangle was born, which provides the best coconuts in the world to this day.

The British took over the country from the Dutch in the early 19th century. Initially, just like their predecessors, they only used arrack and toddy made out of coconut, while the local population used the coconut and its product much wider. Within a short period, the British noticed the value of the coconut and began to develop the plantations and the coconut industry. Thus, from 1891, Sri Lanka began to export some coconut products, like desiccated coconut, coconut oil, and coconut fibre and remained the world’s first, sole and largest exporter until 1925.

Coconut in Sri Lanka Today.

Continuing from those days, coconut remains one of the major export items in the Sri Lankan economy. The main coconut products that are exported are:

desiccated coconut;
coconut chips (flakes);
coconut flour;
coconut milk and milk powder;
virgin and white coconut oil;
coconut and king coconut water;
coir.

Presently, over one million hectares are cultivated with coconuts in Sri Lanka, producing over 3,300 million nuts annually, where 80% come from small holdings that produce organic coconuts. Almost 2/3 of the coconuts are consumed locally, as Sri Lankans know the true value of the coconut and about 15% of their daily calorie intake comes from the coconut.

However, this is not the limit for Sri Lanka as the people and the government know the value of this unique plant and wish to share its wealth with the world. Now using the age-old knowledge and the scientific and the technical advancements, new plantations and better cultivars are being used to increase the quality of the fruits and their harvest. The ways to use coconuts are also expanded, thus enriching the lives of everyone on this planet.

The Uses of The Coconut Tree Today

As the “tree of life”, the coconut tree can be used up completely. It is not only the source of food but creates many other uses and relevant industries, sustaining life in more than one way. The vastness of its uses is mind-blowing, but to imagine that more are thought of and created often.

Let’s look at the coconut, its products and derivatives more closely. The coconut tree can mainly be divided into five sections, namely roots, trunk, leaves, flowers and fruits.

Roots

The root system of the grown coconut tree is made out of multiple slender roots that grow horizontally from the bole, mainly in the topsoil. They may spread from 6 to 9 metres in the soil, while branching two to four times, more or less at right angles. The main branches of the root may extend to depths of 10 metres with a maximum diameter of about 1 centimetre.

Coconut roots have several uses. It is believed they have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and, therefore, are used to make preparations for minor wounds and as a mouthwash. They are also used as toothbrushes.

The roots can also be used to extract natural dyes due to their content of pigments in the form of flavonoids. Although roots themselves have a reddish or dirty brown colour, they produce light yellow dyes in three colour categories: a very light shade of yellow (foxtrot), a warm shade of yellow with light brown undertones (tobacco brown), and a light tan with a yellow undertone (pale gold).

In old times and the rural areas to this day, they are sometimes used as firewood, although this is not the preferred fuel.

The roots are also used to make fabrics, clothes, and other materials, such as strings, weaves and wiring.

Trunk

Coconut trees can grow to a height of some 30 metres (100 feet). The trunk is slender, leaning and ringed with a swollen base.

Coconut wood is a heavy and strong material. Therefore, no wonder it is used in construction. Actually, coconut wood has different densities, based on which its uses somewhat differ. The high-density coconut wood is used for load-bearing structures, such as posts, power and telecommunication poles, trusses, floor tiles, girts, floor joists, purlins, balustrades and railings, joints and bridges. The medium-density parts are used for walling, horizontal studs, ceiling joists, door and window frames, and panels.

The beautiful grain and attractive natural appearance make this wood very useful for the manufacture of various furniture types and high-value products, such as novelties and other handicrafts. Among such products are walking sticks, ashtrays, hammer handles, egg cups, plates, bowls, vases, tea and coffee trays, pen holders, stationary organiser sets, various handles and others.

And, of course, coconut wood is good as firewood, although there are some variations of energy produced based on their density. It makes very good charcoal, which is used in the chemical, pharmaceutical and paint industries.

Leaves

Coconut leaf has a length of about 7 metres (23 feet). It is pinnately divided and consists of 200-250 tapering leaflets.

Coconut leaves were, perhaps, one of the oldest materials used as thatching in the tropics. The same woven leaves were also used for sheltering purposes, as temporary shields, sun shields, shades, decorative screens, fences, and fans.

The leaves are also woven to create fruit and vegetable trays, temporary hats, bags, umbrellas, book covers, baskets, windbreaks, beach mats, covers for curry pots, jewellery and money boxes of different sizes that can be used for many purposes.

The central part of the dried leaflets is used to make brooms, toys, and cooking skewers, while the mid-rib is used to make barbecue skewers and kindling arrows. Children in rural areas use dry leaf stalk as a riding sledge, while several of them pull it by the mid-rib.

The leaf can also be used to make paper pulp for art paper, ropes or be burnt to ash to male lime.

Coconut leaves carry some medicinal value as well. They can also be used to fertilise the soil.

Flowers

It takes seven to ten years for the coconut tree to flower for the first time, after which it does so continuously. The inflorescence is formed inside a large, hard spathe, which grows under coconut leaves at the base of their stems. Each inflorescence contains several branches with both multiple smaller male and a few larger female flowers on each branch.

In Sri Lankan culture, coconut flower is a sign of abundance and is often used as decoration during weddings, religious ceremonies, and Buddhist pilgrimages to adorn vehicles.

Apart from producing coconuts, coconut flowers are known for their sap. It is obtained by snipping off the stem or tapping it and collecting the sap by bending it into a vessel. Collected sweet translucent sap is used for producing jaggery, vinegar, syrup, sugar, treacle, toddy and arrack.

Strangely enough, coconut flowers also carry medicinal value and are used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat diabetes, cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Fruits

Coconut fruit, which is a drupe, is the main crop of the coconut tree. It can be round or oval in shape and large or small in size. A fully grown coconut tree, if well cared for, can produce 80 to 100 coconuts a year. The drupe has three main layers:

the exocarp (outer layer);
the mesocarp (middle layer);
the endocarp (the hard woody layer that surrounds the seed).

The exocarp is not specifically used, although it is sometimes used in some handicrafts. The mesocarp is used to obtain fibre. And the endocarp provides the shell and inside it is the actual coconut meat and coconut water. Let’s look at the materials provided by the inner two layers more closely.

Fibre

Coconut fibre provides two main materials: coir and pith.

The coir is widely used to make ropes, doormats, mattress stuffing, brushes, mats, rugs, caulking (joint sealer for boats), insulation panels, sacks, and in packaging and handicrafts. It is also used in agriculture as potting compost, starting seeds, and soil amendment. It improves the air porosity of soil and aids in moisture retention. It can also be used for mulching in pots.

Coconut pith is an excellent soil conditioner. It is a popular soilless medium for horticultural uses and a preferred natural grower in hydroponics. It can be used with both sandy and clay-based soils. In sandy soil, it helps to retain moisture, while in clay-based ones, it aids drainage.

Shell

The hardest part of the coconut, the shell, is the original material for spoons and ladles in Sri Lanka. After a certain decline in the 20th century with the introduction of steel and later plastic cutlery, Sri Lanka, with the rest of the world, is now looking at returning to more nature-based materials in everyday uses. Thus, coconut shell cutlery is making a comeback with a few modern twists in appearance and manufacture.

But the most popular use of the coconut shell is charcoal and activated carbon. Coconut shell charcoal is well preferred in laundries and by blacksmiths and goldsmiths. Coconut shell-activated carbon also boasts better properties and is used for manufacturing medicines, soaps, toothpaste, air and water purifiers, and odour eliminators in home barbecue grills. Due to its enormous adsorbing properties, it is used as a food supplement in both humans and animals to promote good health and immunity.

Coconut shell powder is used in mosquito coils and incense sticks. It is also used in the manufacturing of plywood as a phenolic extruder and as a filler in resin glue.

Polished coconut shells are a popular material in handicrafts, where jewellery is probably the most known industry. Sri Lanka is the only country in the world that has developed and perfected the coconut shell straightening and bending methodology, which allows the manufacture of beautiful and unique jewellery boxes of various sizes. Other products include teapots, ornaments, candles and candle holders, buttons, lanterns, soap dishes, bowls, egg holders, plant holders and small pots for plants, purses, drinking vessels, salad servers, picture frames, rattles and more.

Meat

Coconut meat is probably the most familiar part of the coconut in the whole world. The snow-white flesh is used to produce many food products used daily, such as:

desiccated coconut;
natural coconut flakes (chips);
toasted coconut flakes (chips);
flavoured coconut flakes (chips);
coconut flour;
coconut milk;
flavoured coconut milk;
coconut cream;
coconut milk powder;
virgin coconut oil;
white coconut oil.

Needless to say that above coconut products carry many benefits to well-being because almost every part of the coconut tree has some medicinal properties that are used in Ayurveda.

Water

There are two types of coconuts. One is the green coconut (Cocos nucifera), which, when matured, produces a good amount of coconut meat. The water inside these coconuts can be consumed when the coconuts are still young and are not matured. Otherwise, the water in them loses its taste and quantity. The other type is the King Coconut (Cocos nucifera var aurantiaca), which is native to Sri Lanka and is the best coconut to drink. Its water is sweeter and tastier and carries more benefits than green coconut water. It hardly produces any meat and the small amount produced has a unique pleasant taste and is translucent in appearance. Thus, there are three types of coconut water products available in the market.

Coconut water is usually made out of immature green coconuts. These are most abundantly available in the market and have a lesser price tag as green coconuts are grown round the world.
King coconut water (mixed) is usually made by adding some amount of the King Coconut water to the green coconut water. The price tag is slightly higher.
And pure King Coconut water, which is entirely made from the rare King Coconuts because of which the price tag is relatively higher.

Summary

The coconut is indeed a tree of life, where each of its parts can be used in so many ways for life sustenance, food, and medicine.