Plant pests plague Kalpitiya cultivators

By Padma Kumari Kankanamge

A papaw fruit affected by the pest

Fruit and vegetable cultivators in Kalpitiya are concerned about the growing presence of plant viruses that are attacking their crops.

One virus, known as “onion AIDS”, is plaguing onion crops, while other viruses are affecting harvests of papaya, cabbage and green chillies.

Agriculture Department officers recently organised a clinic to advise Kalpitiya cultivators on ways to arrest the growth and spread of plant pests. The problem, they said, was best tackled through individual plant care.

Conditions in the Kalpitiya peninsula, with the Indian Ocean on one side and the Puttalam lagoon on the other, are ideal for both fishing and agriculture.

The soil, a rich mix of sand and lime, can support both low-country and hill-country crops, with vegetables ranging from pumpkin, brinjals and snake gourd to cabbage, leeks and carrots, not to mention onions, assorted fruits and even tobacco. The peninsula covers a fertile land area of 70 square-kilometres.