The Department of Agrarian Development said that more than 7,500 acres of paddy in Vavuniya District were wiped out by heavy floods, leaving farming communities in the region reeling.
Officials said paddy had been cultivated across 62,846 acres in the district this season.
Intense rainfall over four days totaling 68 percent of the area’s annual average caused widespread flooding, with 124 irrigation tanks overflowing and submerging vast stretches of farmland.
Farmers reported that entire fields were left waterlogged and destroyed, putting livelihoods at serious risk.
Many cultivators had invested heavily in their crops, spending up to 150,000 rupees per acre for land preparation, seed paddy, fertilizer, and pesticides, often financed through bank loans or pawning personal assets.
Although the government has announced compensation of Rs. 150,000 per hectare for crop losses, affected farmers urged authorities to release payments promptly.
They warned that delays could deepen financial distress and threaten their ability to continue farming in future seasons.
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