COLOMBO, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will expand coconut cultivation in the Northern Province to 50,000 acres by 2027 as part of a drive to boost production in the region, a government minister said Monday.
Speaking at a press conference in Colombo, Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Viddyarathna said the initiative will officially launch on Sept. 2, with an opening ceremony in Puthukkudiyiruppu, located in the Northern Province.
According to the minister, 16,000 acres in the province will be planted with coconuts in 2025. He noted that the region's climate and land conditions are highly suitable for cultivation.
The government, in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, has prepared a five-year development plan that aims to increase national export earnings from coconuts to 1.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, Viddyarathna said.
Coconut is one of Sri Lanka's key export crops. Official data shows that coconut and coconut-based products brought in 864.3 million dollars in export revenue in 2024. ■
