Sri Lanka, Sept. 16 -- The Cabinet has granted approval to provide compensation to sugarcane farmers whose crops were damaged due to fires that broke out in the sugarcane plantations of the Sevanagala Sugar Factory.

Accordingly, a committee comprising officials from the Sugarcane Research Institute and the Lanka Sugar (Pvt) Ltd in Sevanagala has been appointed to collect accurate data on the extent of sugarcane destroyed and the farmers affected. Based on this data, compensation of Rs. 7,000 per metric ton of sugarcane destroyed by the fires will be granted to the affected farmers.

The decision has been made following a joint proposal submitted by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and Nati...