The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) has announced plans to cut down and destroy approximately 5,000 coconut trees in Matara District due to the rapid spread of coconut root (wilt) disease. Known locally as “Weligama Wint” and caused by an invasive insect called “Renda Makuna,” the disease has already affected 6,250 coconut trees in the district.
Dr. Sunimal Jayakody, Chairman of the CCB, said the disease has been a persistent problem in the Southern Province for nearly 15 years, rotting trees within two years and halting coconut production. He added that while around 325,000 infected trees have already been removed across the country, immediate action is necessary to prevent further spread.
The disease, believed to have originated in Indonesia, spreads easily through the tiny insect carrying the bacteria, prompting urgent measures to protect remaining coconut plantations
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