Sri Lanka’s upcountry crops are suffering from cold due to a sudden extended period of frost this year. Areas such as Nuwara-Eliya, Talawakelle and Hatton are experiencing prolonged cold weather, upsetting crops and farmers.
Officials at the Department of Agriculture and the Research Station in Seetha-Eliya confirmed that the frosty weather had already caused some damages to common upland crops like potato and tea. Officials in Nuwara-Eliya too, said farmers have complained about frost damages to vegetables.
“The frost has damaged some plants in our own farms but the damages seem a little higher for other private farmers. This is not very large scale damages, but potato cultivations and other vegetable like beet and leeks are affected. We have also had reports of damages to tea plants,” said the Assistant Director of Agriculture at the Seed and Planting Material Development Office in Nuwara-Eliya, K. D. Pushpananda. Officials say potatoes are damaged when the potato sap freezes and splits the potato open. Tea leaves are said to ‘burn’ because the layer of frost can act as a lens to the strong sunlight.
Even grass is some parts have been reported ‘burned.’ However, the extent of damages, although not seen as large, is still not established. The Agro-Climatology Department in Peradeniya meanwhile, said that this year, so far, there were four days of frost in January and 14 days of frost in February. This is considered an unusually high number of cold-days for tropical Sri Lanka.
“Every year, during the period of January to February, some upcountry areas, generally those located in valleys, experience frost. But this year, we are experiencing exceptionally severe cold weather that is also more protracted,” said the Head of the Agro-Climatology Department in Peradeniya, at the Department of Agriculture, Dr Ranjith Punyawardena.
According to the Agro-Climatology Department, temperatures of around -1 ºC to -2 ºC can cause frost in upland valley areas in Sri Lanka. This condition, in the months of January and February, lasts for about 5 – 6 days, on average, every year. However, of late, longer periods of cold weather, are being recorded, more frequently. In February 1992 for instance, Nuwara Eliya saw 14 days of frost and again in January 1993, 10 days of frost.
Impacts of such climate changes in Sri Lanka, are still unclear. “We have to study this situation to learn more about the impacts. So far the impacts have not been significant. But if extended periods of frost becomes more frequent, we will have to develop responses to deal with it,” said Dr Punyawardena.
Scientists say the current extended period of cold weather in upcountry areas could be due to climate changes stemming from global warming. The Agro-Climatology Department says that frosty-days in Sri Lanka will most probably come to an end this month. |
E-mail