Sri Lanka’s king coconut output might drop by 40 percent as an infestation of white fly continues to spread. According to officials, an estimated 4.6 million palms are infected already, and standard coconut palms are also affected to a lesser extent.
Coconut Research Institute Deputy Director, N.S. Arachchi: “If the infestation in King Coconut is not controlled, we can expect up to 40 percent crop loss in future whereas coconut palms will only be affected about 4-5 percent.”
So far, 4.6 million coconut palms have been infected in the districts of Kegalle, Gampaha, and Colombo with lower levels of spread seen so far in Ratnapura, Galle, Kandy, and Kurunegala.
Chairman of the Coconut Development Authority Keerthi Sri Weerasinghe: “The white fly disease is a huge threat to the dollar income of the country. The king coconut harvest is declining, paving the way to lowering the number of king coconut exports. Currently, the king coconut exports have reduced due to this threat.”
Source: economynext.com
