Plantations Minister Ramesh Pathirana has ordered to establish the Kithul Development Board, to regulate and develop kithul (fishtail palms) as a main plantation crop in Sri Lanka.

Pathirana last week ordered to form the Kithul Development Board provisions under Section 2 of the Coconut Development Act, No. 46 of 1971, with an initial capital of Rs.50 million.

Accordingly, Kanugala Wattage Gihan Priyanath Perera has been appointed as the founding Chairman of the Kithul Development Board, located in Pelawatte, Battaramulla. 

Sri Lanka’s kithul industry is largely considered to be a cottage industry, with no regulator.