NewsThe worst drought in five years has pushed 900,000 people in Sri Lanka into “acute food insecurity”, the World Food Programme (WFP) says. The country’s rice harvest could be the worst in 40 years, charity Save the Children predicted. RICE HARVEST HALVEDGovernment and WFP assessments suggest Sri Lanka’s 2017 rice harvest could be less than half the 3 million metric tons recorded last year. According to WFP assessments the island needs 2.3 million metric tons of rice for annual consumption but the overall 2017 rice harvest is projected to yield just 1.44 metric tons. “We have a shortfall in the rice harvest.

Source: Sunday Times March 13, 2017 12:45 UTC