Assam: 100s of Bighas of Rice Cultivation Under Attack by Pests

JAMUGURIHAT: At a time when the rice crops should be growing at a full pace, large areas of the Sonitpur district of the state have been infested by pests.

The fields of the Bapunipam locality of the Jamugurihat town have been attacked by pests in large numbers. These fields are now covered with greenery as the local farmers have undertaken rice cultivation in this season. Under the attack of the pests, the rice crops where the grains had just started to mature are now being destroyed by the insects.

This infestation by the insects has left the local farmers without sleep as they are worried about their crops. 100s of bighas of farmland on the banks of the Jia Bhorali River have been damaged by these pests. The affected farmers have asked the agriculture department to take necessary steps to protect the remaining crops.

Farmers of East Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh are facing a tough time as their paddy fields are under attack by severe diseases, officials from the district. The farmers are in contact with the experts regarding disease management in paddy crops through the m4agri and Umang apps. These apps are part of the Arik Abik Lunom mobile-based advisory services in Arunachal, which is being implemented by the Pasighat-based College of Horticulture & Forestry, in collaboration with the Digital India Corporation of the Union Electronics & Information Ministry. As many as 6,004 farmers are registered under the Arik Abik Lunom mobile-based advisory services project to date.

Rice is one of the most important food crops in the north-eastern state and its production in the state was reported at 245 tonnes. It is grown in the state as a rain-fed crop. The nursery is sown in the month of May and transplanting is made in the month of June-July. The paddy farmers were issued advisories for the management of rice, which include the symptoms of various diseases and the management practices, the officials added.

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