Paddy fields in Lakhimpur under severe attack of rice-hispa

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: This year, a pale-yellowish colour has been seen in the paddy fields of Lakhimpur instead of the usual greenery due to the severe attack of rice-hispa on the newly-planted paddy plants.

Of late, swarms of the harmful insects have damaged the crops in most of the paddy fields across the district from one end to another end. The insect has spoilt the growing paddy plants by sucking their tender parts and damaging their potential of yielding high number of seeds. Due to the attack of the insect, the paddy plants are turning pale and yellow, losing their original freshness and green colour. As a consequence, the dream of the farmers of reaping a good harvest in the upcoming season has once again been nipped in the bud. Prior to it, consecutive waves of flash flood affected more than 2,500 hectares of crop areas across the district recently. The paddy fields which have not been affected by flash flood are now being damaged by rice-hispa.

The attack of rice-hispa has hit the agriculture sector of the district at a time when the adverse effect of the COVID-19 pandemic situation has already paralyzed the industrial and other productive sectors, not only of the district but also of the State. As a consequence, there is a strong possibility of less paddy production in Lakhimpur in this year.

Regarding the issue, while contacted, the District Agriculture Officer in-charge of Lakhimpur, Prabin Kumar Saikia said that more than 3,000 hectares of paddy fields are under the attack of rice hispa at present as per the departmental assessment.

"In order to control further damage to the paddy crops, the farmers will have to come forward. They can submit their demand individually or unitedly to obtain the medicines concerned. We have medicines available in our office but we have no squad to spray them in the paddy fields," the District Agriculture Officer in-charge added. However, the affected farmers of the district have demanded the Agriculture Department to come forward and solve the alarming problem with adequate steps.

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