PARLAKHEMUNDI:Farmers of Gosani and Kasinagar blocks of Gajapati district are passing through a harrowing time following pest attack on paddy crops.Sources said large tracks of standing crops in Ranipeta, Sidhamadang, Kharada and Sitapur gram panchayats of Kasinagar block and Garabandha, Ghorani, Badakoturu, Gurandi GPs of Gosani have been reportedly affected by brown plant hoppers.
Gopinath, a farmer of Bistala village in Kasinagar, said, “This year, we had expected a bumper crop, but pest attack dashed our dreams.” “Majority of the farmers of the block have taken agriculture loan, now all are apprehensive of repayment,” said Rama Krishna, a farmer. According to sources, paddy was cultivated on 28,901 hectares for kharif season. Of this, paddy was cultivated on 15,739 ha in Gosani and Kasinager blocks. Demanding compensation for the farmers, district unit of BJP Krushak Morcha president Prashant Palo said the administration should immediately assess the crop loss caused due to pest attack.
A farmer leader D Appa Rao said the administration should spread awareness on pest attack. Farmers of Kasinagar block submitted a memorandum to Principal Secretary of Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department Niten Chandra, who visited Gajapati district to assess crop loss. Chandra is on a three-day visit to the district. While he reviewed different developmental schemes at the collectorate, the Secretary also visited Rayagada, Gosani, Kasinagar, Mohana blocks of the district.
Farming fields on fire in Chikiti
Berhampur: Despite appeals not to destroy standing crops, farmers of Chikiti block of Ganjam district continue to set their damaged paddy fields on fire for the second consecutive day on Friday. After Pitatali, Rampa panchayat of the block witnessed farmers setting their pest-hit crops on fire. They alleged that though more than 200 acres of standing paddy crops have been affected due to pest attack in the block, the agriculture officials are yet to visit the area to take stock of the situation. “At the initial stage, when paddy crops started drying up, we informed the agriculture officials, but instead of visiting the farm fields, they sent prescriptions of pesticides,”said farmers D Dhanalaxmi and A Bakeyya Reddy. agriculture officials and Tehsildar Indira Sahu visited Limakudia village where farmers set their crops on fire.