Plans underway to protect coconut plantations from El Nino climate change impact

By Ifham Nizam

The government has allocated Rs. 300 million to programs aimed at saving local coconut plantations from the El Nino climate impact, while 360,000 coconut saplings are also in the process of being planted, a senior official of the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries said.

The official told The Island Financial Review that the prediction made by the Meteorological Department as well as the international weather departments is that the current El Nino climate situation may further develop in the upcoming Yala season this year. In other words, there is a possibility that other crops as well as coconut cultivation in Sri Lanka will be severely affected.

Taking this matter into consideration, Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera instructed officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries recently to implement a joint program in order to protect coconut cultivation in Sri Lanka.

“We will have to face a severe drought in the upcoming Yala season, especially during the El Nino climate change process. During the El Niño process, there is a chance that the rainy season will receive excessive rains and the drought conditions will become extremely severe during the Yala season, Amaraweera said.

Meanwhile, informed sources said: ‘In order to minimize the impact of El Nino climate change on the coconut cultivation in this country, digging coconut pits and protecting the moisture in the coconut plantations, as well as covering the roots of coconut trees with coconut husks, will enable the plantations to face the drought to a certain extent.

‘According to current observations, it is essential to prepare at least 16 specially prepared coconut pits per acre of coconut land. The technology for preparing these special coconut pits is to be provided by the Coconut Development Board.’

Amaraweera instructed the Coconut Research Institute to launch a program to inform farmers engaged in coconut cultivation regarding measures to rescue coconut plantations from the impending drought.

Amaraweera said that the Coconut Development Authority, Lunuwila Coconut Research Institute as well as the Coconut Development Board should work together and provide farmers with the necessary technical knowledge to protect private sector plantations.

A discussion on this matter was held recently at the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries. Agriculture Ministry Secretary Janaka Dharmakirthi and other high officials of the ministry as well as heads of institutions dealing with coconut cultivation were also present.