The Cabinet of Ministers has approved compensation of up to Rs. 100,000 per hectare for paddy farmers whose crops were devastated by recent adverse weather conditions.
Similar compensation will be provided for farmers growing maize, chilli, potato, big onion, and soya, under the 2025 crop insurance allocation, according to Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayathissa.
The Minister also outlined the extent of damage to plantations and irrigation schemes caused by the extreme weather.
According to the Agrarian Development Department’s data (as of 2nd of December 2024), 91,300 acres of paddy fields were completely destroyed, and 86,225 acres were partially damaged.
The extreme weather also completely destroyed 173 minor irrigation schemes and partially damaged 1,148 others.
In Nuwara Eliya district alone, over 750 acres of vegetable plantations were destroyed, with the Department of Agriculture working to supply seed paddy to help farmers re-cultivate damaged fields.
