Air rifles issued to farmers to prevent crop damage by animals

• Currently 30–40 per cent of crops are being damaged 

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama   

Steps have been taken to provide 1,000 air rifles this year  to farmers to prevent crop damage caused by animals, the Agriculture  and Plantation Industries Ministry said.    

A research conducted by the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agricultural  Research and Training Institute has confirmed that 30–40 per cent of the  crops are currently being damaged by Toque monkeys, monkeys, giant  squirrels and peacocks.   

Although the Ministry has requested that the Animal  Friendly Associations suggest alternative paths to prevent damage from  wild animals, so far not a single positive alternative has been  presented.   
The decision was taken following requests from farmers to provide at least air rifles to save their crops from these animals.   

Following the instructions of Minister Mahinda Amaraweera,  the Sri Lanka Hadabima Authority took steps to implement this programme.    

Accordingly, the Sri Lanka Hadabima Authority has taken  steps to provide air rifles to the farmers on the basis of a 50 per cent loan relief from 2023.   

Last year, 750 air rifles were issued to farmers, and based  on the success of the programme steps have been taken to issue 1,000  air rifles this year.   

Air rifles have been very successful in crop protection to  drive away Toque monkeys, monkeys and giant squirrels. But the farmers  say that air rifles are not so successful to drive away peacocks and wild  elephants.