Sri Lanka, Nov. 27 -- Heavy rains across Sri Lanka have destroyed around 600,000 acres of rice and vegetable crops, raising concerns over vegetable shortages and price hikes during the festive season, warned Anuradha Tennakoon, Chairman of the National Farmers' Union.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Tennakoon said the Eastern Province has been severely affected, with paddy and other food crops badly damaged, while vegetable crops in Nuwara Eliya and Badulla have also suffered significant losses.
He provided district-level figures for crop damage caused by the heavy rains:
Batticaloa: 25,500 hectares
Ampara: 33,000 hectares
Trincomalee: 23,000 hectares
Kurunegala: 15,000 hectares
Anuradhapura: 4,000 hectares
Polonnaruwa: 5,000 hectares
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