Due to the dry weather conditions prevailing in several major districts across the island, the Government has allocated Rs. 3,000 million to provide immediate insurance compensation to farmers whose crops have been damaged.

The prevailing dry weather conditions, attributed to the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, have caused significant damage to paddy, maize, and other crops in the districts of Monaragala, Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, Anuradhapura, and Ampara.

According to the data reported so far, approximately 8,000 acres of farmland belonging to nearly 7,000 farmers in these affected districts have sustained crop damage.

With regard to paddy cultivation, damage has been reported across 1,923 acres in Anuradhapura, 1,401 acres in Monaragala, 1,259 acres in Polonnaruwa, 1,055 acres in Ampara, and 783 acres in Hambantota.

Following the instructions of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, the crop damage assessment process has been expedited to ensure that compensation is provided to affected farmers without delay.

Accordingly, teams comprising field officers of the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board and Agriculture Research and Production Assistants of the Department of Agrarian Development are currently conducting field inspections to assess the damage to affected croplands.

Under this relief programme, compensation of Rs. 100,000 per hectare will be provided for six selected crops—paddy, maize, big onion, potato, soybean, and chilli—subject to a maximum coverage of five acres per farmer.

Farmers who have not yet reported damage to their crops are requested to immediately record the relevant details in the crop damage registers maintained at Agrarian Development Centres or provide the information to the Agriculture Research and Production Assistant or Field Officer in their respective areas.

For further information, farmers may contact the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board through the short code 1918.