Severe pest infestation in Arunachal Pradesh district scare farmers

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Severe pest infestation of jhum crop (paddy) during its early stage reported from Dambuk area of Lower Dibang Valley district in Arunachal Pradesh, has scared farmers of possible famine.

The infestation is after last year's major pest infestation of wetland paddy crop in East Siang, Lower Dibang Valley and nearby districts causing huge losses to the farmers.

Concerned over the situation, Dambuk farmers have sought assistance from the agricultural department to help them to control the pests saying that if the pests are not controlled it may cause a famine-like situation in the district.

In a letter, they have informed the department that about 60% of their cultivated areas have been damaged by the pest. Dambuk Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) Anni Lego, when contacted, confirming the situation and said that he had visited six affected fields areas that were damaged by White Backed Plant Hopper, the same pest which had infested the wetland rice last year.

The farmers have been advised to spray either Imidacloprid or monocrotophos or dichlorvos with 1-2ml/litre water to control the pest, Lego said.

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