International Coconut Day tomorrow:

Coconut estates to be linked through computer network

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development Ministry has taken measures to link all coconut estates through a computer network to monitor them within a very short period and enhance productivity of estates, said Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development Minister Jagath Pushpakumara. Addressing the media at the ministry yesterday.

Minister Pushpakumara said the network will be officially launched by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on October 12 in line with International Coconut Day celebrations.

International Coconut Day 2012 will be celebrated tomorrow at Temple Trees under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. According to the minister, though International Coconut Day fell on September 2 this year, 'we couldn't celebrate it due to Provincial Council election.' The ministry plans to conduct a number of events to mark International Coconut Day. "Since its establishment two years ago, the Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development Ministry has achieved great success, due to various programmes launched by the ministry, such as, Kapruka Purawar, Kaprukai Sipnenai, disease control programmes, coconut related product manufacturing programmes, etc," he said.

The decision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to extend the fertilizer subsidy for coconut cultivation can be attributed as the main reason for the increase in production," said the minister. According to the minister, annual coconut production increased to 2,808 million nuts in 2011 from 2,317 million nuts in 2010. 'In 2012, we have already surpassed the total coconut production of 2011.'

He also said they estimate a produce of 3,650 million nuts by 2016 and the ministry has taken measures to achieve this target by 2014. "The ministry also plans to produce 32 million coconut saplings by 2016 and has already distributed 9 million saplings. 'The ministry also has supplied 2,572,477 coconut saplings for the Divi Neguma programme," he said. Ministry Secretary Nihal Somaweera, Coconut Research Institute Director Jayantha Gunathilake and officials participated.