RioCoco opens Sri Lanka’s largest single coco coir production facility
Source: HD.com
The facility is located in Katupotha, Sri Lanka and was opened in July 2026. © RioCoco Consistency "For twenty-two years we've told growers the same thing: the medium has to be consistent every single time," said Shan Halamba, CEO of Riococo.
Earlier this year, Halamba celebrated the company's 22nd anniversary with the entire team in Sri Lanka and unveiled a commemorative sign on the production headquarters building. RioCoco has also recently completed a redesign of its grow bag packaging, incorporating the company's original logo with modern graphics, reflecting the company's strength in building an innovative business while maintaining traditional values of quality, consistency and relationships.
© RioCoco "Used by growers in 65 countries around the world, we produce a range of coco coir products designed to support plant roots and development to maximize yields while reducing water and fertilizer use", Shan says, adding the company's sustainable, organic, OMRI-certified products are manufactured using modern machinery, following ISO 9001:2015 quality management system and ISO 14001:2015 environmental management system. CapGen Seeds opens a new molecular biology laboratory Converting plant waste into compost to enrich farmland soil Managing substrate supply and demand in South Africa Root zone data guides grower's switch to coco 65 years of propagation at Globe Plant Hort Americas expands young plant offerings through indoor propagation partnership “Trust is built through actions: consistent products, reliable supply and relationship” Polyethylene mulch increases strawberry yields by 34.7% in India Related Articles RioCoco opens Sri Lanka’s largest single coco coir production facility Does holding more water really mean using less water?
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
