Tamil Nadu: Grasshopper infestation worries Nallampalli farmers
DHARMAPURI: Farmers from Nallampalli taluk in Dharmapuri complain that grasshoppers are ravaging their maize crop. Over the past few weeks, there were talks about among the farmers a locust attack in Nallampalli, especially in Pattagapatti, Pagalahalli, Kengalapuram, Munsipukottai, and Muttampatti, following which the Agriculture department had sent an entomologist from Krishi Vigyan Kendra to conduct a field study, who identified that they were not locusts but Painted grasshoppers, which are indigenous to the area. Further, the department conducted a campaign to educate farmers on means to curb the grasshopper population.
G Selvam a farmer from Patagapatti village said, “We have been seeing an increase in grasshopper population since last year. They feed off the maize. Recently they have been multiplying at an alarming rate and we had requested the department to intervene. They have taught us some control measures.”
Another farmer from Karaoni village, R Siva said, “The biggest problem is that our cattle refuse to eat the maize which are infected by the grasshopper and hence we have to buy additional cow feed from the market, which is very expensive.”
Additional Director of Agriculture M Elangovan told TNIE, “It was not locusts, the favourable climatic conditions over the past few months have resulted in an abrupt increase in the population of grasshoppers. So far there is no large scale infestation. We have identified the small infestation, which can be easily controlled.”