Nuwara Eliya agriculture suffers Rs. 2 b hit

By Shezna Shums

Reports indicate that paddy, vegetable, and potato cultivations estimated at Rs. 2 billion have been destroyed in the Nuwara Eliya District.

Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday visited the Nuwara Eliya District to inspect the damaged crops and speak with the farmers regarding the issues faced by them.

According to the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat 10, 869 metric tonnes of paddy, 3, 303 metric tonnes of potato, 9, 769 metric tonnes of carrots, 6, 576 metric tonnes of leaks and 2, 988 metric tonnes of beetroot cultivations totalling to about 40, 174 metric tonnes have been damaged by the rains that lashed the Nuwara Eliya District in the early part of this month. The other vegetables destroyed are 2, 695 metric tonnes of radish, 1, 656 tonnes of beans, 1, 115 metric tonnes of Knol khol, 1, 260 metric tonnes of capsicum and 2000 metric tonnes of tomato.

These statistics have been calculated from 1 February.

The Department of Agriculture together with the two other departments involved in the Agricultural industry is to get involved in helping the farmers re-cultivate their agricultural lands.

The Department of Agriculture will also sell fruit and vegetable seeds to the farmers at concessionary rates to help them re-cultivate their lost crops in the Nuwara Eliya District.

Meanwhile the Disaster Management Centre said that only 49 IDP camps were in operation providing shelter to 3, 754 persons from 979 families.

The Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade acknowledged that the prices of fresh fruits and vegetables had increased and that the current high prices would remain until the crops are re- cultivated and ready for the local market.