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Rice is the staple food of the inhabitants of Sri Lanka.
Paddy crops is cultivated as a wetland crop in all the districts.
The total land devoted for paddy is estimated to be about 708,000
Hectares at present. There are two cultivation seasons namely; Maha
and Yala which are synonymous with two monsoons. Maha Season falls
during North-east monsoon from September to March in the following
year. Yala season is effective during the period from May to end of
August. When the crop is sown and harvested during above periods,
the particular season is defined. However, the whole area devoted
for paddy is not being cultivated due to number of reasons such as
shortage of water during the seasons, prevailing unsettle conditions
on the ground, etc.
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Paddy
extent: Paddy extent namely, Asweddumized (land prepared
for cultivation), sown, and harvested on a complete enumeration
basis was commenced in 1951. This method of data collection has
since being continued each season with the active cooperation of
the Agricultural Research and Production Assistants
A.R.P.O)/Grama Niladari (GNN) who are acting as primary
reporters.
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Average yield of paddy: Average yield of
paddy in Sri Lanka at district level is estimated by means of a
sample survey which is popularly known as the crop cutting
survey initiated with the assistance of FAO in 1951. At present a
sample of 3,000 villages for the main season (Maha) and 2,000
villages for the second season (Yala) are selected to carry out
experiments.
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Paddy
production: Estimate of
paddy production is obtained for each season as a product of the
acreage harvested and the average yield.
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