COLOMBO, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will establish 250 king coconut cultivation villages over the next three years as part of a plan to increase annual production by 25 million nuts and raise export earnings from the sector to more than 12 million U.S. dollars by 2030, the government said Wednesday.
The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Community Infrastructure said 75 villages will be established in 2026, followed by 80 in 2027 and 95 in 2028.
The program aims to expand cultivation, improve productivity and strengthen overseas markets for king coconut and related products.
Farmers will receive a subsidy of 700 Sri Lankan rupees (2.13 U.S. dollars) per tree to rehabilitate existing king coconut trees.
The government will also provide new saplings at a concessionary price of 150 rupees, compared with a market price of about 750 rupees. ■
