The government has allocated Rs. 3,000 million to swiftly pay agricultural insurance compensation to farmers whose crops have been damaged by the ongoing dry weather conditions under the El Niño situation.

Reports indicate that paddy and other crops including maize have suffered losses in Monaragala, Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, Anuradhapura, and Ampara districts.

Damage assessments show paddy losses of 1,401 acres in Monaragala, 1,259 acres in Polonnaruwa, 783 acres in Hambantota, 1,055 acres in Ampara, and 1,923 acres in Anuradhapura. Altogether, about 8,000 acres belonging to nearly 7,000 farmers have been affected.

Field officers of the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board and assistants from the Department of Agrarian Development are currently visiting affected lands to carry out evaluations.

The government’s aim is to release compensation funds before the next cultivation season to provide relief. The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation has instructed officials to expedite payments for damaged paddy fields.

For six crops, maize, big onion, potato, soybean, and chili, compensation will be paid at Rs. 100,000 per hectare, with a maximum of five acres per farmer.

Farmers who have not yet reported damages are urged to inform agrarian officers or record losses at Agrarian Development Centers. For further details, the Insurance Board has advised farmers to call the hotline 1918. (Newswire)

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The government has decided to revise agricultural land area to five (05) acres for the issuance of firearm permits for crop protection purposes, State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon stated.

According to a Defence Ministry statement, State Minister Premitha Bandara Tennakoon stated that the existing laws have been amended to allow the use of firearms for crop protection purposes. 

Providing further clarification, the State Minister said that this timely decision was taken as a matter of urgency since crops in large amounts are destroyed within a year due to various wild animals. 

State Minister Tennakoon further said that the government is working on diverse programs to promote agriculture in the country, strengthen the agricultural economy, and food security in the country. 

“We are working tirelessly to empower the farmers to produce the things required for consumption within the country and to develop agriculture,” he revealed. 

The State Minister added that more details on the use of firearms for crop protection activities can be obtained from the respective District Secretariats. (NewsWire)  

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