Over 100,000 H of paddy lands hit by Cyclone Ditwah
The country’s paddy lands amounting to 20 per cent of the cultivated areas have been devastated by Cyclone Ditwah.
Peradeniya University Crop Science Senior Prof. Buddhi Marambe told the Sunday Times Business that of the 590,000 hectares of cultivated lands about 20 per cent have been damaged due to the cyclone floods.
He noted that one of the main concerns is that when the reservoirs spill over then sand and soil gets deposited. This needs to be evaluated quickly in a bid to assess the overall situation and then prioritise areas based on high impact, especially areas of sand and silt that has to be removed.
Many of the affected areas are in Colombo, Gampaha, Kegalle, Kandy, Anuradhapura and Ampara.
He pointed out that re-cultivation needs to be carried out using the 3 month paddy seed varieties. Usually during this Maha season paddy farmers cultivate the 3.5 months paddy variety.
Prof. Marambe explained that firstly the paddy fields need to be cleaned that could take about two weeks to remove them of sand and silt and then the rains would have started.
At that time it would be advisable to cultivate the 3-month paddy seed varieties that need to be obtained from the farmers themselves.
It was pointed out that the Department of Agriculture alone will not be in a position to provide the farming community with the required paddy seed.
In the meantime authorities need to be able to provide adequate fertiliser to the farmers to carry out re-cultivation as they would have already used up that which they had purchased initially.
In 2023 as a result of the rains farmers did re-cultivate the paddy based on the fertiliser available in the market.
This year there was more mobility of the fertiliser in this season compared to the previous year.
Re-cultivation needs to commence at least before December 15 else they will have to face the inter-monsoonal rains.
With maize cultivated during the Maha season it is unlikely to have been destroyed in the floods as it is planted in the uplands. Prof. Marambe said they have found out that about 4500-5000 hectares of maize plants have lodged or were bent and these can recover if they are less than 45 days. With 80-85 per cent of maize cultivated less than 45 days there is a likelihood of it recovering.
The vegetable prices have been severely impacted just last week as a result of the transportation been affected and due to panic buying by city dwellers. Crops have not been damaged heavily, it was noted.
Importation of frozen vegetables was meant for the hotel industry, according to the Department of Agriculture Director General. These stocks are expected to be imported without charging any VAT on these goods.
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