THOOTHUKUDI: Installation of speakers playing dog barking sounds is one of the several efforts taken up by maize farmers of Ettayapuram village, in Thoothukudi district, to mitigate crop damage by feral pigs. This threat has further burdened farmers, who have been fighting pest attacks for years now.
Maize is extensively cultivated in the rain-fed areas of the district, during the Rabi season, with farmers spending at least Rs 13,000 an acre on ploughing, seeding, fertilisers, weeding, and pesticides to prevent fall armyworm (FAW). Exacerbating the situation, feral pigs now run amok ravaging the crops. According to farmers of Muthalapuram, maize crops in their fruit-bearing stage attract the animals, which enter the farms during late hours and damage them. They added that a group of pigs includes as many as 30 to 40 animals, which also trample the fields of green gram, black gram, cotton, cholam (sorghum), cumbu (millet), sunflower, and coriander, on their way to the maize fields.
From surrounding farms with thorny branches, fencing the land with a rope, as suggested by the forest officials, and installing speakers blaring dog barking sounds, farmers said that they have tried everything, but to no avail. In response to protests by farmers in July, the forest department issued guidelines to farmers of Ettayapuram and Vilathikulam taluks to prevent animals from damaging crops.
The officials suggested that the farmers develop bio fencing, and install thorny bushes and cactus around their farms to prevent entry of animals in conflict. They also recommended hanging glass bottles to make noise and encircling the farm with a rope soaked in Neelbo plant-based animal repellent. If the animals continue to damage crops despite carrying out preventive measures effectively, the government will consider providing compensation upon producing an application attaching adangal, land document, agriculture official's recommendation, village administrative officer's report, and three colour photographs, the response said.
Farmers' association Karisal Boomi Vivasayigal Sangam president Varadharajan told TNIE that the forest department did not spread any awareness about any of the aforesaid preventive measures. "As farmers believe, the pigs could not be controlled by biological preventive methods. Farmers demand permission to cull pigs ravaging the fields," he said.