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| Sunday, 19 October 2003 |
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Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Coconut fertilizer subsidy increased The Government has increased the coconut fertilizer subsidy by 30-40 per cent in a move towards assisting coconut growers to increase production. According to the Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB), the subsidy has been increased from Rs 2750 to Rs 5000 per MT. The Government intends to spend Rs 100 million from the Cess Fund for this, a top official from the Ministry of Plantation Industries said. The coconut subsidy scheme was implemented in 2002 in a bid to get the maximum yield from coconut lands, which had experienced a shortfall, said Chairman CCB Lincoln Fernando.He said that with fertilizer prices increasing this year, many coconut growers have neglected their cultivation, which prompted the Government to increase the subsidy by 30 per cent. The CCB anticipates three billion nuts next year. Fernando said that within a short duration since the introduction of the scheme, over 12,000 farmers had availed themselves of the facility and have used fertilizer on 52,557 acres of coconut lands. He said that in the interest of small growers, the CCB will also give a Rs 15 discount on a three kilo fertilizer pack. The CCB expects to sell 500,000 such packs before the end of this year among thousands of small growers with less than half an acre. Fernando added that the Government intends to grow 5000 acres of coconut every year in the North and East. Therefore, the CCB has established two nurseries in Mulativu and Kilinochchi. Coconut cultivators who wish to avail themselves of the fertilizer scheme can get further details from coconut development officers, he added. HS |
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