Ten-year development plan for plantation sector

Ridma Dissanayake

The government has drawn up a 10-year development plan for the plantation sector under the Mahinda Chinthana Future Vision programme. All problems encountered by the tea, rubber and coconut industries are to be discussed and solved within this period.

Accordingly, the government launched a massive programme to develop the plantation sector. Priority had been given to the coconut plantation sector where produce had decreased due to natural causes and human activities. The Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development Ministry launched a coconut plantation programme at district level to provide coconut saplings and fertilizer free-of-charge as well as for low prices. The Trincomalee District Secretariat is carrying out a coconut plantation programme simultaneously with this the national programme. It is be implemented through divisional secretariats.

The Morawewa Divisional Secretariat had distributed 500 coconut saplings among 250 families recently under the patronage of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Deputy Minister Susantha Punchinilame.