The Cabinet has approved compensation of up to Rs. 100,000 per hectare for paddy farmers whose crops were damaged due to recent adverse weather conditions.
According to data from the Agrarian Development Department (as of December 2), around 91,300 acres of paddy fields were completely destroyed and 86,225 acres partially damaged.
Accordingly, the Cabinet has granted their consent to the proposal forwarded by Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister K. D. Lalkantha to compensate the affected farmers.
Around 173 minor irrigation schemes were completely destroyed and 1,148 acres partially affected. Over 750 acres of vegetable fields were also destroyed in the Nuwara Eliya District alone.
The Agriculture Department is also working to supply seed paddy for short-term crops and 2 1/2 to 3-month paddy varieties to re-cultivate damaged fields.
Steps will also be taken in the future to provide compensation of Rs. 40,000 per acre for paddy cultivation up to a maximum of 2 hectares (2 hectare = 5 acres) under the existing crop insurance scheme, and Rs. 40,000 per acre for maize, potatoes, chillies, large salt and soybeans up to a maximum of 1 hectare (2.5 acres) for the five crops, namely, maize, potatoes, chillies, large salt and soybeans, from the provisions allocated to the Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance Board for the year 2025.
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