By Pamodi Waravita
The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB), Coconut Development Authority (CDA), and Coconut Research Institute (CRI) will be brought under one institution due to the duplication of resources and communication problems that are currently slowing down the efficiency at the three institutions.
Speaking to The Morning, State Minister of Coconut, Kithul, and Palmyrah Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing and Export Diversification Tissa Hewavitharana said that Minister of Plantation Industries Dr. Ramesh Pathirana and State Minister Arundika Fernando had made the decision to combine the aforementioned institutions to increase the efficiency of the services.
Hewavitharana added that the merging of these three institutions would take place as soon as possible, with the appointment of a new Director Board and Chairman.
This has been done in accordance with the “Increase in Coconut Plantation and Harvest Programme” that the Ministry has planned for this year, where the authorities hope to identify lands that cannot be used for the harvest of other crops, check the soil suitability, and provide funds and technical knowledge for the harvest of crops in those lands.
Commenting on the “Pol Kola Malaweema'' disease which has currently affected coconut cultivations on a 22-kilometre stretch south of Weligama, Matara, Hewavitharana said that that 25,000 coconut trees were cut down this year in order to prevent the spread of the disease. Although the disease does not have any known prevention methods thus far, Hewavitharana mentioned that the CRI is currently developing a chemical that could be used for the prevention of the disease.
One institution for coconut industry
29 Jan 2021
One institution for coconut industry
29 Jan 2021