Coconut Cultivation Board in Sri Lanka to Destroy 5,000 Coconut Trees Due to Wilt Disease

The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) has decided to cut down and destroy about 5,000 coconut trees in the Matara District, due to the rapid spread of the coconut root (wilt) disease, reported in Ada Derana news on November 12.  The disease known as “Weligama Wint” has been identified as caused by an invasive insect species locally known as “Renda Makuna”.

Currently, a total of 6,250 coconut trees within the Matara District alone have already been affected by this disease, said Dr. Sunimal Jayakody, Chairman of the Coconut Cultivation Board.  “When this disease occurs, a tree usually rots within 2 years, meaning that it stops producing coconuts. Then it eventually dies off completely. What makes it worse is that the disease spreads easily from one tree to another through a tiny insect that carries the bacteria.” 

Dr. Jayakody stated that this is a serious disease that is spreading across coconut trees and that they have already had to cut down around 325,000 coconut trees. “But there are still infected trees remaining in the Matara District. There are about 6,250 trees in the district that are infected. Out of those, we have now decided to cut down 5,000 trees.”

Immediate measures are being taken to eradicate infected coconut trees to prevent further spread of the infestation to other parts of the country, Dr. Jayakody said, adding that this disease originated in Indonesia and entered Sri Lanka via sea route.