Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-06-05

Presenting the progress of the Programme for Control of Weligama Coconut leaf Wilt and Rot Disease

- In order to prevent the damage caused to the coconut cultivation, as a result of the Weligama coconut leaf wilt and rot disease prevalent in the Southern Province, the approval of the Cabinet had been granted prior to this to continue to implement the Programme further from 2018 to 2020. Under this programme, steps are taken for the identification of sick trees, marking for removal, spreading awareness of the disease, supply of alternative economic crops and for the development of facilities for the generation of coconut varieties resistant to the disease and for the payment of Rs.3,000 per coconut tree removed, as compensation to land owners. In this context Hon. Navin Dissanayake, the Minister of Plantation Industries informed the Cabinet that 832 infected coconut trees had been removed during the first quarter of the year 2018 and that a further 819 coconut trees have been identified for removal under this programme.