Going batty over the coconut
mite
A new mite that has been quietly spreading across
Sri Lankan coconut plantations in recent years is now attacking
nuts across many areas and affecting the growth of the coconut.
“This mite is attacking the button nuts
(kurumbatti) which results in deformed or stunted growth,”
said Ranjit Dias, President of the Coconut Growers Association of
Sri Lanka showing The Sunday Times FT last week two of the affected
coconuts.
Concern is growing amongst the country’s
700,000 growers and their 440,000 hectares (one million acres) of
coconut plantations. This harmful mite (insect) was first discovered
in 1997 at Kalpitiya attacking the button nuts.
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Ranjit Dias compares the deformed coconuts with a normal one. |
Now the coconut mite has gradually spread –
over the years – to plantations in Chilaw, Puttalam, Negombo,
Kurunegala, some areas in Gampaha and the Mahaweli areas. According
to official statistics, some 15 to 25 percent of Sri Lanka’s
nut production has been affected by the mite attack. While the numbers
of coconuts produced may be the same, the amount of kernel per coconut
is considerably lower due to the smaller size of the nut.
In 1999 the association held a seminar in Mundal
in the Chilaw-Puttalam area where scientists from the Coconut Research
Institute (CRI) explained and alerted growers to this problem and
announced preventive measures which was to inject a chemical called
monocrotophroh to the truck of the tree to kill the insect.
But growers were not in favour as all the matured
nuts had to be removed from the tree before this could be applied
as it was poisonous and could have affected the kernel. Growers
were also reluctant to drill a hole – as expected into the
tree to insert the chemical – which could have led to tree
decay. It wasn’t a practical solution.
Experts then came up with the neem solution. Here
the neem (margosa) oil was to be blended with oil and soap water
and applied to the nuts at the crown (top of the tree) and the process
had to be repeated depending on the weather and the state of the
affected nuts. This was also considered impractical as it was difficult
to find that many tree climbers to do the job.
Another solution – tying a polythene bag
with sulphur dust enclosed in the affected bunches – also
came a cropper due to practical problems in its implementation.
The CRI then came up with what was seen as a permanent
solution: introducing a predator (another insect) to attack and
destroy the coconut mite. Unfortunately experiments in this connection
have gone on for the past three to four years and the CRI has been
unable to give a kick-off date for this solution as the predator
has to be multiplied in millions for any impact to be achieved.
“In the meantime the industry suffers and
growers lose their income. We are told this is a cancerous disease
and the worst in the coconut industry history,” Dias said
adding that the CRI has asked for assistance from foreign countries
without success.
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The big and the small. |
The association, in a bid to reduce the problems
of the growers, is suggesting that the government should permit
growers to use affected coconut estates for toddy tapping –
so that the income of growers could be cushioned to some extent.
“We expect the government to look into the
possibility of obtaining the necessary fiscal approval, find suitable
toddy tappers and market the product,” he said adding that
these suggestions have come after an in-depth study by the association.
“With toddy tapping we can reduce the import
of spirits to make arrack,” he said.
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