Date: 2019-06-07 Answered

0466/2019: COCONUT CULTIVATION IN PUTTALAM DISTRICT: EFFECTS OF DROUGHT

466/’19

Hon. Ashoka Priyantha,—To ask the Minister of Plantation Industries,—

(a) Will he inform this House—

(i) whether he is aware that Puttalam district faced a severe drought situation during the last 3-4 months;

(ii) whether it is admitted that coconut cultivation was immensely affected due to this drought; and

(iii) the measures that will be taken to provide any kind of relief and aid for the coconut cultivators of Puttalam district who were affected from the drought?

(b) If not, why?

Asked Date

2019-06-07

Asked by

Hon. Ashoka Priyantha, M.P.

Ministry

Plantation Industries

Legislature

Eighth Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka

Session

Third Session

Question History

Answer

(a) (i) The climatic situation in Puttalam District from January to April 2019 is a low rainfall situation. It cannot be considered as a severe drought situation.

The rainfall in Puttalam District as per the weekly rainfall data issued by the Department of Meteorology is given below.

Month	Rainfall (mm)
Month	First week	Second week	Third week	Fourth week
January	0	0.2 (Decimal Two)	0.1 (Decimal One)	0
February	36.0 (Thirty Six)	52.9 (Fifty Two Decimal Nine)	33.8 (Thirty Three Decimal Eight)	0
March	0	0	0	3.9 (Three Decimal Nine)
April	0	20.2 (Twenty Decimal Two)	73.5 (Seventy Three Decimal Five)

(ii) A considerable damage has not been caused to the coconut cultivation.

At least a persistent drought should prevail for more than 60 days to cause a considerable damage to the coconut cultivation due to the drought. When the rainfall pattern is observed during the period from January to April 2019, a considerable rainfall has been received every other month. Under these conditions, the coconut cultivation is not immensely affected and only a minor stress may cause to the cultivation.

(iii) The rehabilitation subsidy programme for rehabilitation of coconut lands to face with the long-term drought and the irrigation subsidy programme for irrigation in coconut lands are implemented. Accordingly, the following programmes are being implemented in Puttalam District in the year 2019.

Subsidy Programme	Unit	Physical Target
1. Planting coconut seedlings under regular coconut cultivation	Coconut seedlings	91,745 (Ninety One Thousand Seven Hundred Forty Five)
2. Coconut Home Garden	Coconut seedlings	32,000 (Thirty Two Thousand)
3. Infilling in coconut lands	Coconut seedlings	38,000 (Thirty Eight Thousand)
4. Subsidies for maintenance of coconut seedlings	Coconut seedlings	60,855 (Sixty Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Five)
5. Rehabilitation of coconut lands	Acres	580 (Five Hundred Eighty)
6. Establishment of irrigation systems in coconut lands	Acres	571 (Five Hundred Seventy One)
7. Subsidy for intercropping	Acres	80 (Eighty)
8. Coconut Mite Control Programme	Packets	55,000 (Fifty Five Thousand)

In addition, under the extension programmes implemented by the Coconut Cultivation Board, the coconut growers are made aware on the preparation of coconut land to face with the drought situation and directed to the same.

(b) Not relevant.

Answered Date

2019-06-07

Answered by

Hon. Vadivel Suresh, M.P.