JEYPORE: Pest menace is giving sleepless nights to farmers in Jeypore sub-division. While crop over 2,000 hectare (ha) has been affected, the Agriculture department is yet to step up measures to contain the pest attack. The subsidy given to farmers on pesticides is also grossly inadequate, the farmers alleged.
Paddy has been cultivated across 42,000 ha of land in Kotpad, Jeypore, Kundra and Borrigumma for the ensuing kharif season.
While the paddy saplings are now in flowering stage, continuous rains for the last two months have wrecked havoc as pests like brown plant hoppers and caterpillars have started attacking crops.
District agriculture officials in Jeypore have informed that they are monitoring the situation with constant updates by ground-level agriculture staff, and advising farmers to do the needful.
Meanwhile, Kotpad Krushak Samaj has demanded supply of free pesticides to farmers by the district administration at the earliest.