Sri Lankan agriculture authorities will hold consultations on September 8 and make final decisions on September 18 regarding the upcoming Maha cultivation season, with meteorological input factored in due to current El Niño conditions.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation has announced a two-stage consultation process to determine cultivation plans for the upcoming Maha season in light of El Niño-related weather concerns. According to D.P. Wickremasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry, an initial discussion involving all relevant sectors will occur on September 8, followed by a final decision-making meeting on September 18, 2026.
Wickremasinghe outlined that the September 18 meeting will be held in Peradeniya and will include participation from farmers, representatives of Mahaweli areas, the Water Panel, and other stakeholders. The consultations will determine how to commence paddy cultivation, guide cultivation methods for other crops, and establish water allocation protocols for the season.
A notable procedural change for this year is the inclusion of the Department of Meteorology in the discussions. According to Wickremasinghe, this addition reflects the current El Niño conditions affecting the country. Previous Maha season planning involved only irrigation and agriculture divisions, which had already prepared initial programmes before the decision to broaden consultation was made.
The structured approach signals an effort to balance agricultural productivity with climate-related uncertainties, though specific details about any proposed modifications to typical cultivation practices remain undisclosed pending the September discussions.