Coconut cultivation to be promoted in North

Shirley WIJESINGHE

The Plantation Industries Ministry is planning to promote coconut cultivation in the liberated areas of the Northern Province.

According Plantations Minister D.M. Jayaratne the plan will be implemented in line with the Uthurata Wasanthaya accelerated development program.

Minister Jayaratne said that the Ministry has launched a project successfully to cultivate coconut in certain selected areas of the Eastern Province too. The climatic conditions in the North is suitable for coconut cultivation.

But due to terrorist activities it was not carried out during the last three decades. Necessary measures will be taken to develop infrastructure facilities in the area after finalizing the resettlement of IDPs, the Minister said.

Varieties of coconut suiting the climatic conditions of the Northern Province will be introduced after careful study, the Minister added.