ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s main Maha season paddy (rough rice) harvest is estimated at 2.61 million metric tonnes based on cultivated area up to December, the Department of Agriculture said.

The cultivate areas was 784,357 hectares, up 4.0 percent from a year ago and 91 percent of the targeted area for the season.

Sri Lanka has received strong rain for the season, a phenomenon usually seen in so-called El Nino years, which leads to bumper harvests. The area hit by floods and pests were estimated at 36,972 hactares.

Paddy available for milling after setting aside for seed paddy would be 2.40 million metric tonnes.

Milled rice from the Maha season would be 1.63 million metric tonnes.

Based on average consumption of 211,930 metric tonnes the Maha season production would be enough for 7.71 months of consumption.

With the rice from the Yala minor season, total paddy production from the two seasons is estimated at 4.45 million metric tonnes giving 2.76 million tonnes of milled rice.

Total requirement for a year is 2.54 million metric tonnes. (Colombo/Jan31/2023)

Published Date: February 1, 2024