The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) has decided to destroy 5,000 coconut trees in the Matara District to control the rapid spread of coconut root wilt disease.

CCB Chairman Sunimal Jayakody said that 6,250 trees are currently infected in the district. 

The disease, known locally as “Weligama Wint,” is caused by an invasive insect species and can kill a tree within two years.

Jayakody noted that the disease has been a serious concern in the Southern Province for nearly 15 years, despite efforts to prevent its spread to the rest of the country. 

Immediate measures are being taken to eradicate infected trees.