Nearly 4,700 farmers have experienced crop losses across approximately 6,073 acres of paddy fields due to drought conditions. The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board is expediting compensation payments of up to Rs. 100,000 per hectare.
Drought conditions have triggered widespread agricultural damage across multiple districts in Sri Lanka, with the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board confirming crop failures in Monaragala, Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, Ampara, and Anuradhapura. The water shortage has affected both paddy and maize cultivation, leaving thousands of farming families facing significant losses.
According to the board's assessment, approximately 4,707 farmers have been impacted across roughly 6,073 acres of paddy fields. The damage varies by district, with Anuradhapura recording the highest impact at 1,900 affected farmers across 2,200 acres, followed by Monaragala with 960 farmers on 1,334 acres. Polonnaruwa, Ampara, and Hambantota have also reported substantial losses affecting between 505 and 782 farmers each.
In response, the government has committed to providing insurance compensation of up to Rs. 100,000 per hectare for six crop types, including paddy and maize, with coverage limited to five acres per farmer. Agriculture Minister K.D. Lalkantha has instructed officials to prioritize rapid disbursement of these payments to affected farmers. Field officers from the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board have already begun visiting damaged areas to assess losses and process claims.
Farmers experiencing crop damage are being urged to report losses immediately to board field officers or through damage notification registers at local Agrarian Development Centres. The board has established a dedicated hotline at 1918 for farmers seeking further information or assistance with their compensation claims.
