Sri Lanka to compensate farmers up to Rs. 40,000 per acre for crop damages

Compensation will be provided for crop damages caused by adverse weather in Sri Lanka, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Namal Karunaratne said.

He stated that a decision has been made to provide compensation for paddy, maize, potatoes, soybeans, chilies, and onions.

Accordingly, compensation will be granted up to a maximum of Rs. 40,000 per acre, the Deputy Minister further explained.

He also mentioned that data on crop damages will be collected after the adverse weather conditions subside, and the compensation payments will be processed accordingly.

Additionally, the Deputy Minister noted that there are discussions underway about a mechanism to provide farmers with free seed paddy for replanting damaged crops.

Apart from the aforementioned crops, Namal Karunaratne said that a large-scale impact has also been observed among vegetable and fruit farmers in both the upcountry and low-country regions, and that they too are expected to receive some form of relief.