Boost for coconut outside coconut triangle

The Coconut Development Board in Kegalle said the Plantations Ministry has taken vast strides to popularise the cultivation of coconuts outside the coconut triangle.

Coconut planting not only on estate basis, but growing this valuable palm in the homegardens is to be encouraged by the Ministry of Plantation Industries. Initial steps in this regard have already been taken by the Government.

Already over 54,000 hybrid coconut seedlings have been distributed among homegarden cultivators free in Kegalle and Ratnapura districts, an area recognised as suitable for coconut cultivation outside the coconut triangle. Over one thousand two hundred acres in Sabaragamuwa will soon be freshly planted with coconuts in addition to encouraging the growing of coconut in homegardens. The people in Kegalle district particularly have shown a keen interest to grow coconuts wherever possible in their respective homegardens. The coconut plants needed in this connection are being distributed free.

Out of the proposed 1200 acres of land to be brought under coconut cultivation over 500 acres have been already planted with coconut seedlings presently, the authoritative sources pointed out.

It was convinced by the Coconut Board sources in Kegalle in addition to the 54,000 coconut plants distributed for planting purposes in the two districts in Sabaragamuwa, 33,200 more coconut seedlings have been distributed to be planted under Jatika Saviya and Gama Neguma programmes which the rural folks have built an absolute trust and confidence as it was a project initiated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.