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Plans to cultivate 36,000 acres of coconut this year

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The Minister made this statement during the Ministerial Consultative Committee meeting on Plantation and Community Infrastructure, held under his Chairmanship at Parliament on March 05. Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure – Sundaralingam Pradeep, was also participated in the meeting.

To enhance coconut cultivation, the minister announced that 2.5 million coconut seedlings will be produced this year. Furthermore, from the 55,000 metric tons of MOP fertilizer received free of charge from Russia, 27,500 metric tons are being utilized to produce 56,000 metric tons of mixed fertilizer for coconut cultivation. Through this initiative, fertilizer subsidies will be provided to coconut estate owners with less than five acres of plantations. Accordingly, a 50 kg sack of this mixed fertilizer, which is valued at approximately LKR 9,500 in the market, will be made available to coconut farmers nationwide at a subsidized price of LKR 4,000 by the end of this month.

Additionally, under the Indian Aid program, 4,700 estate-sector houses are expected to be constructed this year as part of the 10,000-housing project. The Hon. Minister emphasized that while there were previous reports of political favoritism in the selection of housing beneficiaries, this time, the process will be conducted with greater transparency and without political bias. Also, priority will be given to families residing in landslide-prone areas, he said. Furthermore, LKR 1.3 billion in domestic funds is expected to be allocated for the improvement of estate housing and related infrastructure development.

Addressing the Committee, Secretary to the Ministry, Mr.Prabath Chandrakeerthi, presented an overview of the ministry’s operations and future plans. He stated that approximately 30,000 hectares of underutilized plantation company lands have been identified and that steps are being taken to allocate these lands to investors.

Moreover, the secretary reported that Sri Lanka’s total tea production in 2024 was approximately 262 million kg, while the target for 2025 is set at 275 million kg. He also noted a decline in rubber exports despite Sri Lanka being the home of the world’s first rubber research institute and announced that the target for 2025 is 78 million kg of rubber exports. Additionally, the goal for coconut production in 2025 is set at 2,875 million, he said.

During the meeting, discussions were also held regarding the threat of declining quality in Sri Lankan tea and cinnamon due to excessive use of glyphosate and other factors, highlighting the need for greater attention to this issue.

Members of Parliament also raised concerns regarding the quality standards of tea fertilizers, the promotion of cashew cultivation, and other issues relevant to the ministry.

The meeting was attended by ministers, deputy ministers, members of Parliament, and officials from institutions under the Ministry of Plantation and Rural Infrastructure.

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Man jailed over phone ringing in courtroom dies in custody

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A man who was imprisoned for 14 days after his mobile phone rang inside the Embilipitiya Magistrate’s Court has died while in custody under controversial circumstances, prompting allegations from his family and triggering investigations by prison authorities.

The individual, who had reportedly arrived at the court premises to post bail in a case filed over traffic violations, was detained for allegedly violating the decorum of the courtroom when his phone rang during proceedings.

Prison authorities claim he died of a sudden illness while in custody. However, his relatives have accused prison officials of assaulting him, alleging that the post-mortem examination had revealed that the deceased suffered brain damage from a blow to the head with a blunt object and internal bleeding caused by an injury to the left side of his chest.

Prisons Media Spokesperson Gamini B. Dissanayake said that a full internal investigation is underway into the incident, in addition to a police inquiry.

(adaderana.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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President invites Vietnam’s Vingroup to invest in SL

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President Anura Kumara Disanayake, who is currently on a state visit to Vietnam, extended an open invitation to Vietnam’s leading conglomerate, Vingroup, to explore investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s real estate and tourism sectors.

While congratulating the Vingroup for their achievements and for building a diversified global brand, President Disanayake invited Vingroup to consider investing in Sri Lanka’s real estate and tourism sectors. He further emphasized that Sri Lanka is pleased to facilitate the creation of a smooth and enabling environment for their investments.

The President made these remarks during a business engagement with Vingroup at their Headquarters in Hanoi, yesterday evening (May 04) where he met with Vice Chairman and the CEO of the Vingroup Nguyen Viet Quang and the delegation.

President Disanayake emphasized Sri Lanka’s strategic geographic position, progressive infrastructure development and the government’s commitment to fostering a conducive environment for foreign investors, particularly in high-potential sectors such as tourism and real estate.

Vingroup Joint Stock Company (Vingroup JSC), formerly known as Technocom Corporation, was founded in 1993 in Ukraine. Today, Vingroup is one of Vietnam’s largest and most respected private enterprises, operating as a multi-sector corporation with a focus on three core pillars: industrials & Technology, Real Estate & Services and Social Enterprises.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath also participated in the discussions.

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Complaint filed on Halloluwa’s claim against President AKD

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A complaint was filed with the CID last night (May 04), requesting an urgent investigation into a claim made by former Director of the National Lotteries Board – Thusitha Halloluwa.

Halloluwa had alleged that President Anura Dissanayake had made a large financial investment in Greece.

The relevant complaint was submitted at midnight yesterday by the Attorney-at-Law Akalanka Ukwatte, with President’s Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma.

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