News
Parasite devastates coconut estates
A little caterpillar has become the deadly foe of coconut estate owners in the Mundalama and Mangala Eliya areas.
An affected coconut tree in the Chilaw district
They claim that if the problem is not tackled immediately, it has the potential to devastate not only trees in the Wayamba district, but those in the entire coconut triangle.
These tiny parasites pose a big threat to coconut estates
This particular breed of caterpillar has been multiplying fast and has affected over a thousand trees in estates in Mundalama and Mangala Eliya in the Chilaw district
The parasite lives on the fronds of the coconut tree eating the leaves. To stop the pest, the fronds have to be lopped off and burned. Planters claim the lopping of fronds or branches reduces the productivity of the trees.
However, Mr. Jayantha Bamunuarachchi, the Regional Manager Coconut Development Board, Marawila, maintained that the parasite did not pose a threat. He added the trees had been injected with a chemical which would help ward off the parasite.
A worker with an affected branch which has been lopped off
Workers gather affected fronds which are set on fire
But estate owners and workers on the other hand maintain that the parasite is continuing to wreak havoc in their estates.
Our photos show affected trees with fronds lopped off in the effort to stop the devastation spreading.