The public life in Sri Lanka has been locked down for almost a month by now and this heavily affects the coco peat producers. "Up until two weeks ago, our manufacturing location was open, but not anymore now," says Chaminda Silva, the managing director of Green Peat Coco.
The COVID-outbreak is affecting many coco peat producers. India and Sri Lanka, both big in the production of the horticultural substrates, have been in lockdown for three weeks by now to contain the virus and it doesn't seem like the situation will end soon.
Also for Green Peat Coco the business is heavily affected. The company is relatively young and was expanding their business rapidly both in quality as in quantity: in the last couple of years they were awarded by the National Chamber of Commerce multiple times.
Yet now the business is hit severely since production is shut down. "The government is looking to set up a program that can help businesses to for instance continue production like Green Peat Coco. There is no progress in setting up the program yet", says Chaminda.
What will be the effects for the further season?
Green Peat Coco is working on a new project of supplying 300,000 grow bags to one of the leading growers in Azerbaijan. The company is also handling a project on a strawberry farm of about four hectares in South Korea.
For more information:
Green Peat Coco
Chaminda Silva
Managing Director
info@greenpeatcoco.com