Govt. to amend laws to prevent coconut land fragmentation

The Cabinet nod has been granted to amend the Tea, Rubber and Coconut Estate (Control of Fragmentation) Act in order to restrict fragmentation of coconut lands above one acre.
Minister of Plantation Industries Ramesh Pathirana on Monday sought the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to initiate measures to limit land fragmentation by allowing only coconut lands of one acre or less to be fragmented.

According to provisions of the current the Tea, Rubber and Coconut Estate (Control of Fragmentation) Act, coconut lands below four hectares can be fragmented.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his last budget speech said the current legal provisions have resulted in fragmentation of fertile lands, which has severely impacted the annual coconut production. 

Upon fragmentation, coconut lands are usually used for other purposes, which has also adversely impacted the environment.
The government plans to provide incentives to encourage the replanting of coconuts in order to boost value-added coconut exports.