'All facilities provided for coconut growers'

A A L Dias Matale district group corr

Coconut cultivation should be encouraged by providing all facilities to the growers, said Coconut Development and Janata Estate Development Minister Jagath Pushpakumara.

He was addressing a ceremony held at the Galewela Divisional Secretariat under the Kapruk Purawara programme.

The minister added that Kapruk societies will be formed from village level to strengthen coconut growers. Over 400,000 coconut saplings will be distributed among schoolchildren for cultivation. Two coconut saplings will be given to each family.

He said as the coconut harvest dropped last year, the price too went up. Therefore, the government has taken steps to enhance coconut cultivation. He pointed out that there is a shortage of coconut development officers where only 117 officers are rendering their service while 65 out of which are near retirement.

In future the coconut development officers will be attached to agrarian service centres islandwide, the minister said. "The industries related to coconut can be developed to generate self-employment. Then the existing unemployment in the area can be easily reduced," he added.