CDJED to boost coconut production

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The Coconut Development and Janatha Estates Development Ministry has taken measures to increase coconut production up to 3,650 million nuts per annum within the next six years to meet the culinary and industrial demands of the country, Coconut Development and Janatha Estates Development Minister Jagath Pushpakumara said.

"To meet the demand, the ministry hopes to improve soil fertility and remedy the nutrient deficiencies by promoting the application of fertilizer and manure to increase the annual coconut production by 10 percent.

The ministry also hopes to promote soil moisture conservation, rain water harvesting and irrigation, to increase the coconut production by 15 percent by 2016," the minister said.

He also said that the ministry had plans to promote a farming system on 15 percent of the existing coconut lands to increase productivity and profitability by 2016. The ministry also plans to reduce the loss of harvest by 50 percent by 2016, by minimizing the impact of pests and diseases.

The minister said that the ministry would take measures to release two new varieties of coconuts by 2016. The ministry also hoped to increase the production by 20 percent by 2016, by applying appropriate technologies for coconut cultivation," he said.