Vegetables perish by rotting

Asela KURULUWANSA

Nearly 4.1 million kilograms of vegetables have been destroyed by rotting in Nuwara Eliya district due to recent heavy rains hampering supplies during the forthcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, said Nuwara Eliya District Secretary D P G Kumarasiri.

Among the varieties destroyed are carrot, leeks, potato, cabbage, beetroot and salad leaves. The total financial loss incurred on account of this is estimated at nearly Rs 200 million. He said nearly 811,000 kilos of potato alone is among the vegetables destroyed. Arrangements have been made to distribute hybrid vegetable seeds among farmers to minimise the expected shortage as harvesting can be done within 45 days.