Ditwah destroys 108,000 hectares of paddy, 23,000 hectares of other crops in Sri Lanka
EconomyNext: Cyclone Ditwah has fully destroyed 108,000 hectares of rice paddies, 11,000 other field crops and 6,600 hectares of maize, Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, D.P. Wickremesinghe has said.
About 6,143 hectares of vegetables have been destroyed.
Out of 5,893 hectares of upcountry vegetables 2,613 have been fully destroyed.
Out of 8,990 low country vegetables, 3,530 have been fully destroyed.
Out of 27,600 hectares of other field crops, 11,000 hectares have been fully destroyed.
Out of 87,244 hectares of maize, 6,600 have been destroyed.
Rice farmers had sowed 615,000 hectares of 870,000 hectares planned for the main Maha 2025/26 season. Of which 108,000 have been fully destroyed.
The government is compensating farmers for the funds used in cultivation so far and the cost of re-starting the crop, Wickremesinghe said.
Rice, maize and other field crop farmers would be given Rs. 150,000 per hectare and vegetable farmers Rs. 200,000 per hectare.
Other officials said partially destroyed fields will be surveyed and damage will be separately assessed.
Farmers had already started cultivation. Rice farmers are used to flooding and sometimes seen up to three floods in some years. However, fields can be re-cultivated since the cyclone came early in the season.
If some farmers have difficulties in getting through to officials, they can call the hotline 1,918 and arrangements will be made. Some government officials are also in distress after floods in some areas, he said.
OSL take:
The destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah has affected many key economic sectors in Sri Lanka with the agriculture industry being one of the key sectors affected. The rebuilding and rehabilitation of the agricultural lands to get them back in the production process have opened many business/investment opportunities that range from providing technical expertise to technological advancements and crops that provide quicker yields. Given the level of destruction in the agriculture industry, there are opportunities in paddy, vegetable and other alternative crop cultivations. With foreign funding also flowing in for the rebuilding of the agriculture sector, many opportunities in the sector already have funds available for programmes. With the increasing food demand in the country and the focus of the Sri Lankan government to recommence the production process in the agriculture industry, foreign businesses/investors could explore the multiple business/investment opportunities in the industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20251210/Z_2 |