Coconut cultivation to be expanded in A'pura

Nimal Wijesinghe, Anuradhapura additional district group cor

The Anuradhapura district will be developed as a leading coconut cultivation zone, Anuradhapura Coconut Cultivation Board Regional Manager S P M Wijeratne said.

He said while embarking on a coconut cultivation promotion programme under Divineguma, the Kapruka Purawana programme was being expanded in the Anuradhapura district.

Wijeratne said under the 2012 Divineguma programme, 160,166 grade one coconut seedlings have been distributed free of charge at a cost of Rs 13.5 million while around 175,000 plants were distributed among farmers in 2013.

"Under the kapruka purawara cultivation programme, 45,500 coconut plants have been provided through Kapruka Purawara Farmer Societies in Ipologama and Rajangane divisional secretariat divisions," he said.

Wijeratne said the Kapruka Purawara programme was being expanded in Nochchiyagama and Nuwaragam Palatha in 2013. He said under the first phase, 40,000 coconut seedlings will be distributed through 75 Karuka Purawara Farmer Societies.