Farmers whose fields were damaged by recent heavy rains must file loss reports within 14 days at their respective Agrarian Service Centres to qualify for compensation, the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board announced on Tuesday.
Following assessment, compensation will be paid based on the extent of damage, capped at Rs. 100,000 per hectare for paddy, maize, potatoes, soya, chillies and big onions. The Board said the scheme is offered free of charge — no insurance premium is required from farmers — effectively placing the cost of cover on the government for the 2026 Yala season.
The directive comes after adverse low-pressure weather conditions submerged cultivated lands in several districts at the start of the season, damaging crops at their initial stage. The Disaster Management Centre on Monday counted 204 houses damaged across 13 districts and more than 5,200 people affected, with Kalutara, Batticaloa, Gampaha and Ratnapura among the worst hit.
The Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Minister has instructed the Insurance Board to maintain continuous supervision and ensure maximum benefits reach farmers, the announcement said.
Full extent of the crop damage can only be assessed once floodwaters recede, the Board said, after which timely compensation can be disbursed to affected farming communities. The package follows President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s review of Kelani river flood-control measures and the broader pre-monsoon preparedness push as the southwest monsoon establishes over the island.
