Pest attack disheartens Narail, C'nawabganj Aman growers

NARAIL, Oct 18: Aman paddy cultivators are worried over the pest attack in Aman fields in three upazilas of the district. Farmers claimed that they used pesticides to kill insects and follow the advice of DAE officials, but harmful pest attack increasing day by day in the paddy fields.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Narail office sources said they set a target to cultivate Aman on 30,895 hectares of land in the three upazilas but the farmers have brought 35,285 hectares of land under Aman farming in the district this season.

Deputy director of DAE Shaikh Aminul Haque said some 3.5 hectares of Aman fields have been attacked by Brown Plant Hopper (BPH) in Sadar and Lohagora upazilas. They suggest the farmers to use Planium, Platinum, Pyrazin, Mifsin or Shopsin for control the attack. "We found insect attack in different areas, but it may not affect the production target", he added.

Additional Director of DAE, Khulna region, Nitya Ranjan Biswas said he visited in Naura, Nurmohammad Nagar, Pacha Magura, Kathalbaria and other villages under Narail Sadar recently to see the affected-Aman fields. He said the situation is under control, he added.

A good number of growers however claimed that the plants are drying.

Farmer Nur Islam said he used pesticide but he is afraid that he would not able to get even 40 per cent or 50 per cent yield from his field.

Another farmer Mosarraf Hossain of Lahuria-Heslagati village under Lohagora upazila said he has been cultivating Aman paddy on two acres of land but pests have already affected about 50 per cent of the land.

Farmers are unable to control the pest menace because of non-availability of effective insecticides in the local markets, he added.

He alleged that farmers are not getting any help from the local agri-officials and field workers, as they do not visit the affected areas.

However, agricultural officials refuted the allegation and said they have been giving suggestion to the affected farmers to check the problem. "We have already distributed pest control management leaflet to the cultivators", Narail sadar agriculture officer Shahidul Islam said.

Meanwhile, our Chapainawabganj correspondent adds:  Thousands of optimistic T-Aman farmers under Nachol, Gomostapur and sadar upazilas of Chapainawabganj district have been in a fix due to massive current pest attack from last week in the area.

The peasants have brought a vast area under T-Aman cultivation in this season to be financially self-reliant but pest attack has doused the hope, said farmers.  They are passing worried time instead of being happy as the condition is being deteriorating gradually, they added.

In a recent visit the correspondent found Jhilim, Baliadanga, Gobratola area of sadar  upazila, Nezampur, Fotehpur, Kosbva of Nachol upazila, Parboatypur, Radhanag ar, Nandipur of  Gomostapur  upazilas have been attacked massively with current pest. The farmers are spraying insecticide in the affected area but they are not getting rid of the problem.

"Farmers usually transplant the seedling of T-Aman in July across the country and the paddy field may be attacked in November," said farmer Abdul Quader,45, at Krisnbapur village of Neazpur union under Nachol upazila. "The early current pest attack makes the peasants in a fix." he added.

Farmer Nurul Huda, 54, Sirail village under Fotehpur union said, "We are not getting the way of remedy by spraying insecticide. The production of the upcoming paddy is in the way of feedback if the farmers cannot be able to stop the crisis within a very short time," he added.

Yahia Khaled, an insecticide trader at Nezampur bazaar said, "Hundreds of farmers from different areas are visiting the makeshift but we can't supply the needed insecticide due to short of supply. They are going home not taking the insecticide," he added.

Upazila agriculture officer of Nachol upazila Sotten Kumar said, "We have arranged negotiation meeting taking the farmers several time for getting rid of the problem. He suggested the farmer to make lightening trap in the affected paddy fields."

Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Munjurul Huda urged the farmers of the not to be worried as the authority concern area working in the field level. He is expecting that the problem will be solved within a short time.