Sri Lanka counts monkeys, peacocks and squirrels to tackle crop damage

15/3/2025 13:48

Sri Lanka began a wildlife census on Saturday to count monkeys, peacocks and giant squirrels, aiming to manage their populations as farmers complain of agricultural losses.



Government data showed, agriculture accounts for 8% of the country's economy and employs 8.1 million people.



According to the Exports Development Board (EDB), Sri Lanka is the fourth-largest coconut products exporter globally and produces about 3 billion cashew and other nuts annually.



Atop government official said, but coconut production, along with vegetable and fruit cultivation, has been hit due to crop destruction by monkeys, peacocks and giant squirrels.



Namal Karunaratne, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock said, "The problem has become so bad people are giving up farming. We are losing about 20% of total agricultural production. It is estimated that 90 million coconuts are lost every year."