CHENNAI: Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare MRK Panneerselvam has assured to address the cassava mealybug (Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero) menace in the State. During a debate on the Budget in the Assembly, AIADMK leader Edappdai K Palaniswami said, “Lakhs of farmers in Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur, Karur and Dharmapuri districts are affected by the cassava (tapioca) mealybug pests. I urge the government to take steps to protect the farmers’ cultivation.”
In reply, the Agriculture Minister said, “This menace was first reported in the State last year. Experts from the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University have conducted a study and confirmed the pests’ presence. The government will surely take steps to protect the farmers.”