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Description
Coconut is one of the three major plantation crops in Sri Lanka. It is not only important for the Sri Lankan economy but also an indispensable ingredient in many Sri Lankan cuisines. Mainly coconut is used either as coconut milk or as grated coconut in Sri Lanka. Although fresh coconut is traditionally used for Sri Lankan foods, processed coconut also has entered to the markets nowadays, creating competition for the traditional fresh coconut milk within the country. The aim of this study was to investigate whether fresh coconut milk or processed coconut milk is more preferred or used by Sri Lankan consumers along with factors influencing to that decision. Quantitative research design was used for this study and data were collected from 132 households who live in Matara Pradeshiya Sabha area contacted through judgmental sampling method using a structured questionnaire. The findings show that 78.8% of respondents use only fresh coconut milk, 0% use only processed coconut milk, and 21.2% use both types. Accordingly, it can be said that fresh coconut milk has the highest preference and tendency to use. Among the demographic factors investigated for the reasons for this use, only the gender factor shows a statistically significant association (p<0.05). No any other factors like age, monthly income, and education level and occupation show statistically significant association with the choice. Among the product attributes, the availability of the coconut was highly preferred because of its better taste (Mean = 4.42) and health properties (Mean = 4.05). The processed form of the coconut was preferred because of the convenience it provided in saving time (Mean = 3.84). Packaging/storage life had a medium level of influence (Mean = 3.71). The study concludes that the traditional method of consumption habits remain dominant, there is a shift toward processed coconut product.
