Farmers to get Compensation for Crops Damaged by Floods

The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board reports that around 390,000 acres of farmland have been submerged due to ongoing heavy rains.

Chairman Premasiri Jasinghe Arachchi stated that damage assessments will begin the day after tomorrow, starting with the Polonnaruwa district. The worst-affected areas include the Ampara and Batticaloa districts, with significant farmland in the Northern and Eastern Provinces also inundated.

To support affected farmers, compensation will be provided for damaged crops like paddy, maize, potatoes, soybeans, onions, and chilies. The government has allocated Rs. 1 billion for this purpose.

In response to the devastation, Commissioner General of Agrarian Development, Rohana Rajapaksha, announced a special replanting initiative for damaged paddy fields. Officials have been deployed to assist farmers in these efforts.

Additionally, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, D.P. Wickramasinghe, confirmed that the government will supply seed paddy to help replant the affected fields.