The Ministry of Agriculture has refuted media reports claiming that crops in Nuwara Eliya were damaged due to the sudden drop in temperature.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Ministry Secretary D.P. Wickramasinghe said the Ministry has not received any reports of crop damage to date. “The Meteorological Department has reported low temperatures. However, we have not been informed of any damage to crops. As such, there is no requirement to initiate compensation programmes at this point. If any issues are reported, we will look into them and take the necessary action,” he said.

The clarification follows media reports claiming that cold weather and early morning frost had affected vegetable and tea cultivation in the Nuwara Eliya District.

Nuwara Eliya recorded a noticeable drop in temperatures over the past week, which reportedly contributed to frost conditions in the area.