COLOMBO -- Sri Lankan Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said on Wednesday that the country is at risk of a food shortage due to the impact of sudden weather changes, according to a statement from the ministry.

According to the statement, the minister made this warning during a discussion regarding the implementation of projects to increase the production of food crops.

The statement said about 70,000 acres of paddy cultivation were destroyed due to the drought whereas the torrential rains destroyed another hundreds of acres before harvesting.

"The vegetable crops in the low country have been destroyed by the rain. Around 15,000 acres of green gram crops that were cultivated in the Hambantota district have also been completely destroyed," the statement said.

The minister instructed ministry secretary Gunadasa Samarasinghe to implement a plan to grow vegetables in home gardens, and to work out a crop cultivation plan for this season.