Container-load of illegal c'nuts destroyed

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

Agriculture Department's National Plant Quarantine officers at the Colombo harbour had reportedly destroyed a container load of coconuts, preventing its illegal entry to the country.

Agriculture Department Director K N Mankotte yesterday said the consignment of coconuts was lying at the harbour for weeks before it was crushed and burnt by the authorities.

Had the load of coconuts arrived in the country it would have had a negative impact on the income of coconut farmers, whose yield of nuts dropped badly due to floods and adverse weather from November last year, said the Agricultural authorities.

Mankotte said the importation of coconuts and coconut -based products has been banned other than for research purposes.

The importation of coconuts, tea, rubber, rice and Cocoa-planting materials are also prohibited depending on the perceived risk of introducing dangerous pests into the country.

The container load of nuts, whose illegal entry into the country was prevented by Plant Quarantine, was reportedly from India, Agriculture Department sources said.