The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board announced that compensation payments for crop damages caused by the prevailing dry weather began today (04), with affected farmers in the Polonnaruwa District receiving funds directly into their bank accounts.

Officials confirmed that compensation for farmers in other districts will be completed before September 15. The Government has already allocated Rs. 3,000 million for this relief effort.

Dry conditions in Hambantota, Ampara, Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Monaragala have damaged paddy, maize, and other crops. Following farmer reports, officials inspected fields, assessed losses, and initiated payments.

Nearly 7,500 farmers have been affected, with around 8,000 acres of farmland damaged. Compensation is being provided for six crops, maize, big onion, potato, soya, and chili, at Rs. 100,000 per hectare, up to a maximum of five acres per farmer.

Agriculture Minister K.D. Lal Kantha has instructed that payments be expedited to ensure farmers receive relief before the next cultivation season. (Newswire)

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The government has permitted farmers to kill monkeys that are found to be destroying crops, Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera said on Friday (16).

During a meeting with potato farmers, the minister was informed of monkeys destroying crops making it impossible to grow potatoes in the area.

Responding, the minister revealed that six crop-ravaging animals, peacocks, monkeys, toque macaques (“rilava”), grizzled giant squirrels (“dadu lena”), porcupines, and wild boars, were recently removed from the list of protected animals in Sri Lanka. 

Minister Amaraweera said, therefore, the farmers are at liberty to use any measures to tackle the menace. 

He further stated that after conducting excessive research, including studies conducted overseas, it has been proven that there are no other ways to resolve the issue. (NewsWire)

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