Coconut Research Institute (CRI)

Coconut is one of the three major export crops of Sri Lanka. But the so-called CRI is a sleeping giant.

The Directors, Scientists and Technicians are typical government servants whose function is to sign the attendance Register, prepare Reports and the so-called research papers which are of no practical use or importance and pay lip service to the coconut growers regarding their problems.

With the winds of change initiated by the President, it’s time to make the Scientists, Technicians and Administrators accountable and proactive to meet the challenges faced by the Coconut Growers in improving productivity, pest control, combating plant diseases etc.

The appointment of a chairman to the cluster of institutions related to coconut of wisely handled could yield excellent results in harmonizing the activities of the different sectors in the coconut industry and find unanimous solutions to the perennial issues that had plagued all parties to their detriment in the past.

In order to enhance the productivity of the industry, I wish to suggest the following: A) Develop a mobile task forces composed of Diploma holders /graduates in agricultural science to visit estates in the coconut triangle and advise the owners and caretakers of improvements to be made on a regular basis

B) Introduce a monitoring system to ensure

that the advise is adhered to.

C) Have appropriate material to combat periodic attacks by Pests on a commercial basis.

D) Obtain high-yielding strains of seedlings from other countries and distribute at cost to growers which will lead to cross pollination in the future.this process overtime will reduce the effect of inter-breeding.

ANTON ABEYSUNDERA