JHARSUGUDA: After rain deficit and crop burning, farmers of Kolabira and Laikera blocks of the district are a worried lot now as Brown Plant Hopper (BPH) insects have damaged paddy plants on hundreds of acres of land.
Farmers alleged that no pesticide has worked to control the pests from ruining roots of paddy plants in Malidihi, Ghantamal, Ludung and Amati gram panchayats of Kolabira block. While most of the families in the panchayats depend on farming as their main source of livelihood, farmers were a expecting a good crop this year. They used various pesticides to kill the worms by availing loans. But they have not got any success, said Laxman Sahoo, a farmer of Malidihi.
Last year, pesticides were supplied at subsidised rate through seeds sale centres in the district by the Agriculture department. But this year, no step has been taken by the department to control the pest attacks. They have been spraying all the available pesticides on their paddy field to protect the crop, but it has failed to yield results, said another farmer Arun Patel.
A similar situation is also prevailing in neighbouring Bhatalaida, Nikitimal, Sarangloi, Babuchhipidihi panchayats of Laikera block. Last year, farmers of the district had set fire to their crops after attack by pests.
Agriculture experts said the BPH affects the crop plants due to increase of moisture and temperature above 34 degree celsius. Members of Jagannath Farmers’ Association, led by its president Tankadhar Naik and secretary Chiranjilal Patel, on Monday held meeting and demanded before the district administration to supply insecticides urgently free of cost.
Deputy Director of Agriculture Puspesh Pujari said an agriculture team comprising District Agriculture Officer S Kerketa, KBK scientist Jadunath Hembram, Assistant Agriculture Officer Rasmiranjan Toppo, Pravat Patel and Plant Protection Officer Lambodar Patel have visited the pest-affected areas and collected plants for test. The report will be submitted to the Government within a day or two, he said and added that the pests are now under control after applying insecticides.