Coconut white fly pest impact mostly on king coconut

The Coconut Research Institute expects a significant crop loss for King Coconut caused by the white fly disease, in comparison to coconut.  

This was announced in a press conference today (December 27) in regard to the white fly disease where the Coconut Research Institute (CRI) expects a fall of 40% in King Coconut production but only a 4% to 5% loss in coconut production.  

Explaining the reason, Dr. N. S. Arachchige, Deputy Director of the CRI, stated that the difference is due to the lower number of frontal leaves used for photosynthesis in King Coconut in comparison to coconut, affected by the white fly.  

“So far, 4.6 million palms have been affected by the white fly infection”, she added.  

The CRI has identified four varieties of the white fly infection of which two only affect coconut. The other two varieties are prone to affect crops such as betel nuts, jaggery palm tree, banana and chilies as well.  

The white fly sucks the juices of the coconut leaves which causes the leaves to turn yellow in colour. The white flies then defecate a solution “like honey” which falls onto the lower leaves of the tree and lays obstacles to photosynthesis.  

Instructions on quelling the pest were also given as to mix 10ml of margosa tree oil and 5g of soap powder in one liter of water and spray onto the trees. It is also recommended to use yellow traps since white flies are attracted to yellow.  

The pest is currently affecting 132 zonal divisions of 10 districts, primarily Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Kegalle, with Kurunegala, Ratnapura, Galle, Kandy and Matara districts also considerably affected.  

The President of the Coconut Cultivation Board, Prof. A. V. K. Madhavi Herath, stated that they expect to present a 100-day programme to moderate the pest since actions must be taken “quick”.  

They have already used 200 machines which they had previously and are expecting to purchase 500 new machines and provide them to their zonal officers in the 132 affected zones, expecting to save 758,000 trees within a 100 days.  

They have already allocated a monetary amount of 83.8 million for the purpose, and 35000 coconut growers have already been notified, from whom they expect the other growers would also receive the message.  

“Coconut cultivation is only second to paddy cultivation”, she added.  

The Chairman of the Coconut Development Authority, Keerthi Weerasinghe, stated that some export orders from other countries have already been reduced since they cannot risk the infection invading their respective countries as well. 

“We need foreign exchange desperately now, so we must stop the spread of the white fly”, he stated.