File photograph.
Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector has suffered extensive devastation following Cyclone Ditwah, with preliminary assessments showing that more than 200,000 hectares of farmland have been damaged across the island, according to a report in The Morning.
Officials warn that the impact on the ongoing Maha season is severe, with paddy, maize, vegetables and other field crops facing heavy losses.
The Ministry of Agriculture said a full assessment of total crop losses will be completed and formally released within the next two weeks. Early figures compiled in the first week of December indicate that 137,000 hectares of paddy fields out of 611,000 cultivated have been affected, representing 22 percent of the country’s paddy lands.
Department of Agriculture Director General Dr W. A. R. Thushara Wickramaarachchi said that maize cultivation has also been badly hit, with 6,525 hectares damaged, or 7.5 percent of the 87,000 hectares under cultivation. Vegetable crops suffered some of the worst losses, with 6,000 of 15,000 hectares, around 41 percent, damaged. Other field crops such as chilli, onions, cowpea and green gram are estimated to have sustained about 38 percent damage.
Although these figures represent initial assessments, Dr Wickramaarachchi noted that actual losses may be slightly lower as some crops could recover. The ministry is preparing compensation mechanisms for affected farmers once the full evaluation is completed. Officials are currently verifying data on damage caused by flooding, landslides and sustained heavy rainfall.
The damage comes as a major blow to the Maha season, with crops at their most vulnerable stages. According to the Department of Agrarian Development, 563,950 hectares of paddy cultivated by 774,996 farmers were nearing critical growth phases when the cyclone struck. Large stretches of land are now submerged or waterlogged, and significant yield losses are expected.
While paddy fields can withstand short-term flooding, the severity of inundation and the timing of waterlogging have left many fields beyond recovery. The cyclone’s prolonged rains and strong winds have also affected infrastructure, disrupting access to irrigation channels and delaying relief efforts.
Findings from the Joint Rapid Needs Assessment Phase I, released on 2 December, reported that approximately 95,799 hectares of Other Field Crops and 13,463 hectares of vegetables have sustained extensive damage. These include maize, pulses, bananas and a wide range of seasonal crops documented through the CROPIX system of the Department of Agriculture. Officials attribute the losses to a combination of flooding, long-term waterlogging and wind damage.
The collapse of agricultural production adds to the pressures on Sri Lanka’s fragile food security, which has been repeatedly exposed during recent economic and climatic crises.
