Dr. Sunimal Jayakody, Chairman of the Coconut Cultivation Board, announced that measures to control the whitefly infestation in the Jaffna Peninsula will be implemented simultaneously across the region for two consecutive weeks starting from July 14. He made this statement during a meeting with the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.
A team including the Chairman of the Coconut Cultivation Board, General Manager of the Coconut Cultivation Board, Wijesinghe, Assistant General Manager of the Coconut Cultivation Board, T. Vaikunthan, discussed the matter with the Governor of the Northern Province at the Governor’s Secretariat today, Friday (27.06.2025).
The Governor emphasized that coconut production has declined significantly as a result of the whitefly infestation and underscored the urgency of implementing effective control measures without delay.
The Chairman of the Council, Dr. Sunimal, who stated that he had come with a plan to control the whitefly impact, explained to the Governor about it.
Commencing on the 14th of next month, a two-week whitefly control program will be implemented across five Divisional Secretariats in the Jaffna District. To support this initiative, 100 high-powered spraying machines (water guns) will be transported from Colombo, along with trained personnel to operate them. I, along with other senior officials, will personally be present in Jaffna throughout the duration of the operation. This first phase will cover the Divisional Secretariats of Jaffna, Nallur, Chavakachcheri, Uduvil, and Kopay. In this regard, he requested the Hon. Governor’s support and cooperation for the successful execution of the program.
Welcoming the initiative, the Governor assured full cooperation in mobilizing and coordinating all available resources within the province. He also pledged to provide the necessary support, including personnel and logistical coordination, to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
The Northern Provincial Deputy Director of Agriculture Yogeswaran and the Deputy Provincial Director of Agriculture Mrs. S.Anjanadevi also participated in this discussion.
