71% of 2023-’24 Maha season Crop damage due to heavy rains, floods – Agriculture Department

The Department of Agriculture (DoA) revealed its findings regarding Crop damage in the 2023/24 Maha season, in a report it prepared and handed over to the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industry Mahinda Amaraweera.

The DoA reported that, about four-and-a-half months of continuous heavy rains and floods experienced by the country, during the 2023-’24 Maha season, destroyed 68,131 hectares or 71% of the total cultivated land with vegetables and other crops, sans paddy. In addition to this, 100,000 hectares of paddy cultivated during the Maha season were also damaged.

The DoA adds that the aforementioned destruction resulted in the rapid increase in the price of vegetables in the first quarter of this year. In addition to this, another 23,874 hectares or 27% of land cultivated with vegetables and other crops were affected by pests and other diseases.

However, vegetable and fruit cultivation has improved once again in April,, and hence, an increased harvest for now. The DoA further states that due to the favorable weather conditions, especially in the months of February and March, vegetable and other crop cultivations have been very successful and therefore their prices have decreased significantly.

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