A massive cyclone-driven agricultural collapse is threatening harvests, farmer livelihoods, and national food security unless urgent re-cultivation begins.
Nearly 175,000 hectares of agricultural land in Sri Lanka have been damaged by the recent cyclone, raising serious concerns about food security, rising prices, and deepening rural debt, according to data compiled by the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Out of the country’s total 2.3 million hectares of agricultural land, around 7.6 percent has been affected, dealing a major blow to harvest volumes and expected output levels for the Maha season. Officials warn that unless damaged lands are re-cultivated immediately, Sri Lanka could face significant shortages of locally produced food in the coming months.
Paddy cultivation has been the worst hit. Batticaloa recorded the highest flood-affected paddy land at approximately 36,188 hectares, followed by Trincomalee with 22,155 hectares and Anuradhapura with 15,237 hectares. Severe damage was also reported in Mannar with 11,570 hectares and Kurunegala with 10,775 hectares. Based on district-level assessments, an estimated 140,000 to 150,000 hectares of paddy land have been destroyed nationwide.
Vegetable cultivation has also suffered extensive losses. Nuwara Eliya recorded the highest vegetable crop damage at around 1,046 hectares, followed by Badulla with 930 hectares. Other heavily affected districts include Anuradhapura with 671 hectares, Kurunegala with 508 hectares, Trincomalee with 498 hectares, Batticaloa with 454 hectares, and Puttalam with 430 hectares. In total, between 7,000 and 8,000 hectares of vegetable cultivation have been wiped out.
Other field crops such as pulses, maize, chillies, and similar produce have also been badly damaged. Anuradhapura again recorded the highest losses in this category with approximately 3,478 hectares affected, followed by Vavuniya with 2,747 hectares. Trincomalee, Ampara, Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, and Kurunegala each reported losses running into several hundred hectares. Altogether, an estimated 18,000 to 20,000 hectares of other field crops have been destroyed across the country.
Satellite data further highlights the severity of the disaster, showing that Mannar, Mullaitivu, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee experienced the highest levels of inundation, with flood coverage ranging between 13 and 16 percent.
Beyond crop losses, the cyclone has intensified an already fragile rural economy. According to UNDP data, rural indebtedness affects 38 percent of households. Many farmers had borrowed heavily to finance Maha season cultivation, assuming successful harvests to repay loans. With crops destroyed and farming equipment damaged, thousands of families now face crushing debt with no clear means of repayment.
Unless swift intervention, debt relief, and re-cultivation support are rolled out, the agricultural fallout from Cyclone Ditwah could evolve into a broader food security and social crisis.
