Compensation raised to Rs.10,000 for coconut trees cut down in Matara

Colombo, November 22 (Daily Mirror) - The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) has announced an increase in the compensation paid for coconut trees cut down in the Matara District due to the rapid spread of the coconut root wilt disease, commonly known as Weligama Wilt.

Under the revised scheme, Rs. 10,000 will be paid for each affected tree removed — a significant rise from the previous payment of Rs. 3,000.

CCB Chairman Dr. Sunimal Jayakody said that approximately 5,000 infected coconut trees are currently being felled and destroyed in the Matara District as part of the disease-control programme. He noted that although the disease has been largely contained in the Galle and Hambantota districts, several infected trees continue to be found in Matara.

According to Dr. Jayakody, the disease is caused by an invasive insect species known as Renda Makuna, which has affected about 6,250 trees across the district.

“This disease has posed a serious threat to coconut cultivation in the Southern Province for nearly 15 years. While its spread to other regions has been successfully controlled, it remains a major challenge in the south,” he said.

He added that infected trees stop producing coconuts and typically die within two years, as the bacteria spreads rapidly through insects that transmit the disease.