Agrarian Development Commissioner General Rohana Rajapaksha said that 338,446 acres of paddy fields have been destroyed due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions. He also said that 137,880 farmers have been affected by this destruction.

The highest losses are reported from the Northern and North Central Provinces. It is not yet possible to obtain certain information about crop damage since the paddy fields in Jaffna, Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa districts have still been completely submerged,” he said.

The Commissioner General further said that the relevant officers have been hindered from going to their Agrarian Development centers and starting their duties due to the flooding in some areas.

The information collected from the area where flood water has receeded has revealed that the 101,035 acres of paddy fields belonging to 46,674 farmers has been destroyed.

The amount of paddy fields that are still submerged is 237,481 acres.The number of farmers who have suffered crop damage is 91,206. Paddy cultivation of 23,930 acres in Vavuniya, 23,247 acres in Mannar, 20,865 acres in Trincomalee have been destroyed so far.

Similarly, vegetable cultivation has also been destroyed in the upcountry and many vegetable cultivations including potatoes and cabbage have been completely destroyed in the Nuwara Eliya,” he said.

(dailynews.lk)

(This story, originally published by News1st has not been edited by dailynews.lk staff)