News
Veggie plots in hills suffer deluge damage
Heavy rains in the central hills, including Nuwara Eliya, have damaged vegetable cultivations and triggered price increases of some vegetables often sought by households. 
Hundreds of vegetable plots have been washed away or are inundated.
Aruna Shantha Hettiaarachchi, president of the association representing the All Island Economic Centres, who is also the secretary of the Nuwara Eliya Economic Centre, said six months of continuous rain has damaged cultivations.
“It is difficult to collect 1,000 kilos of potato at the economic centre while there is less supply of carrots, beans, leeks and cabbage,’’ he said.
Some large cultivations that supplied about 1,000 kilos of carrot, now only deliver about 200 kilos.
Kumara Senanayake of Kandapola, said that the area is popular for leeks. He said there were times when a kilo of leeks could not be sold for Rs 5.
About 70% of the cultivations have been destroyed.
Due to the supply crunch, a kilo of leeks in Nuwara Eliya sells for Rs 300, he said.
Farmers are suffering financial losses.
Aruna Shantha Hettiaarachchi
Rohana Pushpakumara
District Secretary, Rohana Pushpakumara, said officials have been told to estimate the damage, but this is not considered to be a natural disaster, yet.
He said there were also complaints about low quality seeds and compost. Officials have been asked to check.
Inundated vegetable plots
Little activity in the usually butling market