Both upcoming cultivation seasons can be successfully managed without difficulty if the Maha season is commenced early and without delay, according to Mahaweli Authority Director of the Water Management Secretariat, engineer Nilantha Dhanapala.
He said starting the Maha season early would help conserve a portion of the available water, allowing the subsequent Yala season to commence by 15 March or in early April.
Dhanapala made these remarks while participating in a television programme.
Citing statistics, Dhanapala noted that reservoirs under the Mahaweli system currently hold approximately 54% of their capacity, which he said remained a significant level. He added that the water capacity of the Walawe system stands at approximately 57%.
He further pointed out that rainfall is expected to increase during October and November, while the Dry Zone is likely to receive negligible rainfall between December and April.
Accordingly, he emphasised that both cultivation seasons could be successfully maintained by efficiently managing available water resources, commencing the Maha season earlier than usual and starting the Yala season ahead of its regular schedule.
Meanwhile, nearly 8,000 acres of cultivated land have been damaged due to the prevailing dry weather conditions, affecting around 7,000 farmers, according to the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board.
Board Chairperson Pemasiri Jasingarachchi said crop damage had been reported in several Districts, including Monaragala, Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, Anuradhapura and Puttalam.
He said inspections and assessments of the affected farmlands are currently underway to determine the extent of the damage.
Jasingarachchi said compensation for the affected crops is expected to be provided before the end of the current cultivation season.
He further said Rs. 3 billion has been allocated for crop-damage compensation, adding that steps would be taken to compensate farmers whose cultivations have been affected by the dry weather once the damage assessments are completed.