Approximately 390,000 acres of farmlands inundated due to heavy rainfall

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board says that due to heavy rains, approximately 390,000 acres of farmland have been inundated.

The board’s chairman, Premasiri Jasinghe Arachchi says that the assessment of damages to the submerged farmlands will commence the day after tomorrow, starting with the Polonnaruwa district.

The districts of Ampara and Batticaloa have recorded the highest number of submerged farmlands. 

The chairman noted that overall, a significant number of agricultural lands in the Northern and Eastern Provinces have been inundated.

He further stated that compensation of up to Rs. 40,000 per acre will be provided for crops such as paddy, maize, potatoes, soybeans, onions, and chilies that have been damaged by the floods.

Jasinghe Arachchi says that the government has already allocated Rs. 1 billion to provide this compensation.

Meanwhile, Commissioner General of Agrarian Development, Rohana Rajapaksha said a special program has been initiated to replant paddy fields damaged by the floods.

He noted that officials have been deployed to support this effort.

Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, D.P. Wickramasinghe, stated that the government plans to provide seed paddy for replanting the affected fields.