Cabinet approval to restore cashew plantation in Kandachchi Estate

The Cabinet of Ministers this week granted approval to Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation and Department of Civil Defence to fully reinstate cashew plantation in the Kandachchi Estate of Mannar District.

Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation has a 6000-acre cashew plantation in Kandachchi village located in Musali Divisional Secretariat Division in Mannar District. 

However, the cultivation was interrupted due to the civil war with over 3000 acres of the estate being abandoned. 
Recently, Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation combined with the Department of Civil Defence took steps to cultivate cashew in 935 acres land extent of the estate.

Further, the two State bodies entered into an agreement to fully reinstate cashew plantation in Kandachchi Estate.
The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved the resolution presented by Plantation Minister Ramesh Pathirana to take necessary measures in this regard.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation is expected to supply cashew seedlings/shoots for planting purposes, technical assistance and training while playing the supervision role of the plantation. 

The maintenance of the plantation is to be carried out by the Department of Civil Defence. 
The government had allocated Rs.125 million in the budget of 2021 for reinstating the Cashew plantation of Kondachchi estate.

“Using these allocations, Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation has planned to cultivate another 1500 acres of cashew as a project. In the meantime, the Department of Civil Defence has planned to cultivate another 500 acres of cashew in addition to the 935 acres already been cultivated,” the Government Information Department noted.