Coconut to be planted in city home gardens

by Ananda Kannangara

A program to popularise the cultivation of coconut in home gardens, especially in urban areas will be launched by the Agricultural Ministry.

The program is in par with the Government's `Waga Sangramaya,' and will be initiated in collaboration with the Coconut Cultivation Board and divisional secretariats islandwide.

"The objective of launching the program is to ease the future shortage of coconuts and also to develop the industries related to coconut products.," Agricultural Development Minister Maithripala Sirisena told the `Sunday Observer' .

The Minister drew a special attention to small scale home gardens in urban areas like Colombo and said that not even a single coconut tree is seen in some lands due to the negligence of the owners.

"It is a national crime to keep valuable land idling. Our objective is to create an awareness in the owners of such land about the new program so that they can convert their land into a profit making venture."

He said under this program, the authorised representatives would make arrangements to deal with the owners of such land and prepare them to utilise the land for cultivating coconuts.