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| Sunday, 16 November 2003 |
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CCB-LTTE drive to boost coconut industry by P. Krishnaswamy The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB), in collaboration with the LTTE, recently launched a drive to boost the coconut industry in the war-torn Northern and Eastern provinces. The industry which was prospering on 35,000 acres before the war, has now slumped to half that extent. On November 4, LTTE political leader for Trincomalee district, Thilak, its area leader Sivakumaran, Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Secretary General, R. Sampanthan, MP, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP R. Thirairatnasigham and other senior LTTE cadres attended a ceremony together with CCB Chairman Lincoln Fernando and other CCB officials at Nilaveli in Trincomalee to distribute coconut plants and seedlings to farmers of the area. About 15,000 plants were distributed on the first day, CCB sources said. The LTTE has also assured its fullest support and assistance to the CCB for coconut cultivation on 5,000 acres in the areas under its control in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi. The coconut replanting drive has been launched following a directive of Plantation Industries Minister, Lakshman Kiriella. Under a 10-year programme for boosting coconut cultivation in the North and East, the Ministry plans to cultivate 2000 acres every year in the North and East, according to CCB sources.CCB Chairman Lincoln Fernando said that while their nurseries in Achchuveli and Kilinochchi would be ready to distribute coconut plants and seedlings at the end of this month, those in Nilaveli (Trincomalee) and Mannar had already started doing so at subsidised rates. He said that one of their four nurseries in Mannar is under the management of the LTTE. Mr. Fernando, who participated at a meeting with the LTTE and the farmers at Kilinochchi, pledged to assist the farmers engaged in coconut cultivation on half-acre and one-acre plots with fertilizer and other subsidies, besides providing good quality plants and seedlings. |
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