A late decision to ban felling of coconut trees of Sri Lanka

(Deember 20, 2010) Sri Lanka Minister of Coconut Development and Peoplized Estate Development Jagath Pushpakumara says that the government has decided to ban felling of coconut trees.

With immediate efect under the decision, anyone who wishes to fell coconut trees will have to seek the permission of the Coconut Development Board.

The Minister stated at a press briefing held in Colombo that the relevent gazette notification is being printed now.

The government decision came as the price of coconut, an essential commodity of Sri Lankans rose drastically as a result of shortage of produce.

Coconut, once one of the three major export income earners of the country has become an import as a result of felling of coconut trees in mass scale and lotting of coconut cultivations for housing.

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Posted in Coconut , Coconut Development Board , felling coconut trees

Coconut; once major export, now imported

(December 16, 2010) Sri Lanka government has decided to import cocnut to eradicate the shortage and the escalation of prices.

Sri Lanka Ministry of Consumer Affairs is now taking measures to import coconut, sources say.

The import is to be done by next week. The amounts of import is yet to be known.

The price of cocnut has risen sharply in Sri Lanka and a nut is sold atound Rs. 45 now. Coconut is a basic commodity of Sri Lankans that use the coconut juice in cooking curry.

Meanwhile, the Coconut Development Board has taken measures to purchase coconut from state tands and to sell them at fair price. Coconut Development Board trucks sell coconut at Rs. 30 per nut at selected places and one person is allowed to buy five nuts each.

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Posted in cocnut price , Coconut , Coconut Development Board , coconut imports

Disease attacks coconut cultivation of Sri Lanka

(June 18, 2010) A disease is spreading in the coconut cultivations of Sri Lanka’s Southern Province, says the Ministry of Plantation.

This disease is believed spread to Sri Lanka from areas like Kerala in India. Leaves of the diseased coconut trees are dried prematurely due to this disease.

The Minister of Plantation Mahinda Samarasinghe says that measures will be initiated to prevent the spread of the disease to Sri Lanka’s Coconut Triangle to avoid loss to economy.

Already, 6200 trees that have been affected by the disease have been removed, the Minister said adding that a census on the spread of disease is carried out now.

The Minister said that a task force chaired by the chairman of the Coconut Development Board has been appointed to fight the disease.

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Posted in Coconut , Coconut Development Board , India , Kerala , kidney diseases