The Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera, had instructed the Board of Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance to immediately start the assessment of crop damage that has occurred in this year’s Yala season. 

Accordingly, the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board has started immediate damage assessments covering every district

Agriculture Minister Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera today (10) discussed the progress of the assessment process with the chairman of the Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance Board. M. M. B. Weerasekera.

Although crops have been damaged in several districts due to the severe drought in the Yala season, according to the current assessments, the highest number of crop damage incidents are reported from Kurunegala district, the chairman informed.

A detailed report in this regard is to be given to the Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera in the coming week.

However, the minister said that the government will have to pay the highest amount paid by the Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance Board for crop damage this year, adding that it would be impossible to imagine how much that amount would be.

The Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance Board provides crop damage compensation under three categories, namely full damage, medium damage and minor damage. 

Last year, the Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance Board has paid about 1.7 billion rupees. for crop damage.

Source - http://www.colombopage.com