Cyclone Impacts 277,000 Farmers; Fishing Sector Suffers Heavy Losses – FAO

25-Dec-2025

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The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that approximately 277,000 farmers were affected by Cyclone, with losses in the fisheries sector estimated between LKR 20.5 million and LKR 21.5 million.

Floods and landslides caused widespread damage, affecting rice, maize, vegetables, onions, and green gram cultivation, with 106,000 hectares of paddy land partially or fully damaged, accounting for 20 percent of the 2026 Maha season cultivation.

The worst-affected districts include Puttalam, Kurunegala, Ampara, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee.

The FAO also estimated the loss of around 475,000 poultry and more than 50,000 livestock, along with damage to fishing equipment, severely impacting fisheries.