11,757 acres of paddy fields, which were about to be harvested in the last yala season, have been destroyed by floods caused by heavy rains that have been falling for almost one and a half months.
The Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industry Mahinda Amaraweera had informed the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board to gather information about the damaged fields due to the long and severe drought last yala season.
Accordingly, 64,088 acres of paddy fields have been damaged due to drought. 11,460 farmers have been affected due to crop damage due to rain.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture and Plantations Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera asked the chairman of the Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance Board W.M.M.B. Weerasekara to take steps to provide compensation for crop damage caused by drought.
The minister informed that these compensations should be given within this year itself and if the money from the government is delayed, the compensation for crop damage should be made with the funds of the board.
The minister also mentioned that this step should be taken considering the fact that it is difficult for the farmers who suffered crop damage due to drought to carry out cultivation activities especially in the high season.
