SRI LANKA APPEALS FOR DROUGHT RELIEF AID Sri Lanka has appealed to 24 countries for emergency aid to help 2.4 mln villagers affected by the country's worst drought in 36 years, government officials said. Embassies received letters over the weekend outlining aid needed for a sixth of Sri Lanka's population in 13 districts. The letter said the government had to step in "to avert serious economic hardship" and because the Social Services Ministry had already used up its entire 1987 budget provision of 23 mln rupees by distributing help to the worst hit areas. The letter said 548.76 mln rupees were needed for a six month period, at least until the May-September (Yala) rice crop was harvested. Over 25,000 tonnes of wheat, rice, flour and other cereals were required, it said, along with supplies of sugar, lentils, dried or canned fish and milk. In some of the most seriously affected districts, the Maha (October 1986-April 1987) crop had been "almost completely devastated," the letter said. Maha paddy output was now estimated at 70 mln bushels, 20 mln less than originally expected. There were two scenarios for the Yala crop, with a high forecast of around 40 mln bushels conditional on adequate rainfall within the next three to four weeks. "Should the present drought continue, however, production is estimated at around 20 mln bushels," the letter added. Total estimated paddy output for 1987 would be between 90 and 110 mln bushels, or 1.35 to 1.65 mln tonnes of rice. Last year's output was 124 mln bushels, down from 127 mln in 1985. The letter said villagers in most seriously affected districts had been deprived of any means of subsistence because subsidiary crops had also failed. It said the government's current budget did not permit it to provide sustained and adequate relief to those affected. "Revenue has been adversely affected by depressed commodity prices and slowing of the economy. Defence commitments continue to exert pressure on the expenditure side." The 548.76 mln cash would cover payments of 150 rupees per month for each family, as well as handling, transport and distribution of emergency food. But such an outlay of funds by the government would not be possible without seriously impairing development projects, or "greatly fuelling inflation" in the economy, the letter said. The letter said the Food Department would be able to release wheat and rice from the buffer stock to meet the immediate cereal requirements "provided such stocks are replaced subsequently." The Meteorological Department said the country was experiencing its worst drought since 1951 and the four-month dry spell prevailing in most of the areas would only break when the monsoon rains fell in late May. The letter said some areas had been experiencing the drought since August, and in the rice growing district of Kurunegala there had been no effective rainfall since June 1986.