A new insect disease that can pose a serious threat to coconut cultivation has been detected in Galle for the first time in Sri Lanka.
Galle area manager of the Coconut Development Board H.G.Hemantha revealed this at the Galle District Agriculture Committee meeting yesterday (30).
He said that this disease is a serious disease spread by an insect called Brontispa and so far coconut plantations affected by this disease have been identified along the coast from Dodanduwa to Kaburugamuwa.
He said that at least 4,000 such infested trees have been identified.