Minister of Wasantha SamarasingheTrade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development warned of a possible shortage of Samba and Keeri Samba rice due to severe damage to paddy cultivation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

He told Parliament that there will be no shortage of red and Nadu rice if affected paddy lands are re-cultivated, but noted that Samba varieties take about four months to grow, making replanting difficult.

The Minister added that other crops, including groundnuts, maize and green chilli, were also badly affected, with thousands of hectares destroyed.