Oil palm Expansion in sri lanka
Introduction:
Oil palm cultivation is not new to Sri Lanka. This plant has been brought to Sri Lanka in 1968 and planted in Nakiyadeniya. The expansion began in 1996 in the Kalutara district, but abandoned due to the public opposition and economic reasons. However, the current government has decided to plant 20,000 Ha in the Kegalla district. This decision erupted public protests in that area. Large plantation companies have started uprooting rubber and planting oil palm. They started destroying the forest patches within the rubber plantations and the riverine forest areas. They also started killing wild animals that destroy the oil palm plants. There was no proper feasibility or the social, environmental assessment done before this decision.