Wild animals have destroyed 144,989 metric tons of 28 food crops including paddy and 93 million coconuts amounting to 30 Billion rupees In the first half of 2022, a research report reveals.
The report prepared by Hector Kobbekaduwa Agriculture Research and Training Institute (HARTI) further states that the
most damaged crop in 2022 is coconut.
The country lost 51,816 hectares of coconut plantations in 207 agricultural service development jurisdictions in the 21 districts of the island and the total number of coconuts lost to the country exceeds 93 million. The total land area under coconut cultivation in those areas is 275,540 hectares. Out of that, the total amount of coconut land that has been damaged by wild animals is 21 percent. Due to the 93 million coconuts damaged by wild animals, the loss to the country is exceeds 6638 million rupees.
Drawing attention to the issues pointed out in this report, the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation has appointed a committee to study the measures to be taken in the future to prevent the damage caused to crops by wild animals and forest elephant-human conflicts and to obtain opinions and suggestions from various parties.
The country has lost 5.6 percent or 31,922 hectares of the total paddy cultivation area in the 2021/22 season due to animal damage.
However, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the relevant officials not to include elephants, elk and deer in the list of animals that cause crop damage.
