KENDRAPARA: Large tracts of black gram (Biri) crops are recently affected by swarming caterpillars (Kalimundi) in Kendrapara district.
Black gram tracts in many riverside villages have been damaged due to invasion of the insects, ruining the economy of Andara, Siddhabali, Dandisahi, Singhgaon, Krushnadaspur, Raulia, Kolathia, Penthapal, Nahiadia, Taradipal, Alapua, among other villages under Pattamundai block.
All these villages were affected in floods two months ago. Receding floodwaters create a high-moisture environment that triggers rapid growth of aggressive wild grasses and attracts agricultural pests such as the swarming caterpillar. Black gram (Vigna mungo) is highly sensitive to waterlogging. The pest problem has put farmers on the edge.
Agriculture department officials and Krushi Viganya Kendra (KVK) recently rushed to the affected areas in Pattamundai and Kendrapara blocks and provided 50 per cent subsidised pesticides to the farmers to save their crops. “To avoid further spread of the pests, farmers should keep frequent watch on the crop. The growers can stop the spread of the pest attack by sprinkling prescribed pesticides. We are organizing awareness camps in the villages and training farmers to use prescribed pesticides properly,” said Kendrapara chief district agriculture officer Hemant Kumar Samal.
Pratap Rout, a farmer of Dandisahi, said, “Two months ago, we lost our paddy crops in the flood and a large number of farmers raised black grams on their land after the floodwater receded. But the swarming caterpillar insects damaged our Rabi crops. Help from the administration, however, is yet to reach the villagers, more than one week after the first swarm of insects arrived here to ruin this year’s black grams on large tracts of the fields.”
Sarat Behera, a farmer of Penthapala, said, “Most of the crops have been destroyed in the area. The farmers who could afford the costly fight against the pests now hope to reap less than one-eighth of their usual harvest.”
Prahalad Jena, a farmer of Alapua, who cultivated black gram over two acres of land is a worried man. “I was planning to harvest the Biri in December, but the pests have eaten major chunks. I tried everything to control it and failed. The pests are spreading rapidly.”