Permission to pluck jackfruit from forest reserves!
Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Conservation Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the Department of Forest Conservation to initiate a program to issue permits for people to enter the forest reserves free of charge to harvest jackfruit.
The Forest Department officials had notified the Minister that there are around 3000 hectares of forest lands in the island and that the jackfruits growing on these trees within these reserves are falling at the foot of these trees and rotting without being made use of.
Therefore, these officials have informed the minister that by giving approval for people to pluck these jackfruit and breadfruit from these forest reserves, it could provide some relief to address the food crisis in the country.