News
Over 350,000 Coconut trees felled in the South to arrest disease
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
Authorities have felled over 350,000 Coconut trees in the Southern districts of Galle, Matara, and Hambantota, to prevent the spread of a Coconut leaf wilt disease. The disease first spotted in the Weligama area has now been restricted to the southern coastal belt with the felling of the trees, Coconut Research Institute, Director Dr. Priyanthi Fernando said.
She said the disease has been named Weligama Leaf Wilt (WLW) which is a bacterial infection contagious among Coconut species.
Ms Fernado elaborated that, as there is no cure for the disease, they were forced to cut and destroy over 250,000 trees only in the Matara area. She added they have joined with the police and the Divisional Secretaries, on a campaign to identify and remove the plants. The owners are paid Rs 2,000 per felled tree.
“The programme also includes maintaining a buffer zone of around 3 km wide and 80 km long, covering areas in the Galle, Hambantota and Matara districts, such as Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Kanake, Hengama, Akuressa, Kamburupitiya, Kirinda, Hakmana, Walasmulla, Beliatta and Tangalle.
She said the symptoms of the disease are initially undetectable by the public, while during the final stages, the leaves get flaccid and bent at the end, giving it the look of a rib cage, with yellowing of the leaves also being visible. After exhibiting those symptoms, they found browning and breaking of leaves, which is also the prelude to palm leaf rot caused by a fungal infection that takes place due to the disease created by Phytoplasma Bacteria.
She explained, the infection could have been introduced through a Coconut plant brought by fishermen or, a Coconut may have drifted ashore from foreign coastal areas. Weligama Divisional Secretary K.P.G. Sumith Shantha said huge sums of money were paid to owners of felled trees, with one of them receiving Rs 450,000 for about 200 trees.
“We know Rs 2,000 hardly meets the value of the tree and most owners disagree, but we have to forcefully cut down the trees, to save the cultivation in other areas,” he added. However, police stationed at the buffer zone said, they too were directed by the Divisional Secretariats, not to let any coconut or part of a tree, out of the buffer-zone.
They said barriers have been erected to ensure no Coconut product is brought out of the zone. Meanwhile, Chairman- Coconut Development Authority, H.K. Rupasinghe said people have to be careful about consuming coconut in the affected area, as the bacteria can be harmful to their health.