Plantations face crop and human losses
Sri Lanka’s plantations sector has been gravely affected by the cyclone that struck the country last week resulting in the loss of about 20-30 per cent tea crop and a low number of rubber and coconut trees impacted. Assessments are still being carried out to ascertain the actual extent of loss and damage to the industry and its people.
Planters Association Spokesman Dr. Roshan Rajadurai told the Sunday Times Business that they expect the situation to return to normal by Monday with clean-up operations underway following the earth slips and landslides that occurred during the cyclone.
The auction was cancelled this week as roads were impassable and the road network is completely damaged especially in the hilly regions.
Dr. Rajadurai said that most of the tea estate workers were shifted to safe places when the flood warnings were issued and the estates have not by Friday reported of any mass casualties.
The Kandy – Nuwara Eliya road is completely damaged and close to Ramboda a massive earth slip had been reported.
Crop has been impacted as a result of the heavy rains, Dr. Rajadurai said adding that lack of sunshine in the recent past has also impacted on the crop productivity.
In the coming weeks the industry will lose about 20-30 per cent of the cultivated crop as a result of which production will also drop. It was pointed out that total crop production achieved by the end of this year would amount to 255 million kg.
The plantations sector is expected to have been less affected as a result of the proactive measures adopted by the managers on the estates in an organised effort to evacuate the workers from the estates, he said adding that they are now heading back to their homes.
Estate owners state that while most roads are impassable in the Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts disrupting the movement of produce and transport of green leaf from outlying areas. This has also hampered food distribution in these areas.
Electricity interruption and shortage of diesel were also affecting the flood affected regions.
Coconut
Ceylon Desiccated Coconut Manufacturers Association Secretary Jason Samaranayake said that the coconut cultivations in the Puttalam and Wayamba regions have been impacted in addition to a few areas in the Gampaha region. In fact he noted that even by Thursday some areas still faced electricity interruptions as well.
It was pointed out that several factories had also been affected by the floods including one of the largest coconut milk manufacturing factories.
Meanwhile, workers on the estates were found to have been impacted as their houses were completely or partially destroyed in the calamity.
Mr. Samaranayake said they were unable to take stock of the exact extent of the damage and destruction of the plantations or any casualties since they were still trying to reach farmers.
Sarath Sirisena, a member of the Coconut Growers Association said the impact on the crop would depend on the age of the plant and the extent of damage. He noted that however, coconut plants were likely to recover quickly although it will take some time to absorb the excess water.
Rubber
The rubber sector found less impact in the low country although people have been evacuated from two earth slip prone areas in Kalutara after the water levels had receded, Agalawatte Plantations Director and former Colombo Rubber Traders Association President Manoj Udugampola said.
Kegalle and Kurunegala areas were found to have more deaths and a larger number of trees that had fallen as a result of the inclement weather, he said.
About five days of tapping also have been lost as a result of the bad weather and there had not been any significant damage to the crop. Rubber cultivations in Ratnapura and Kalutara had reached flood levels in a few locations.
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