Pest devouring amon in 8 northern dists

Frustrated farmer Abul Kashem with a pest-damaged Amon plant in his field at Nachhnia village in Rangpur Sadar upazila. PHOTO: STAR

Stambourer, a common pest, is eating up leafs and plants of transplanted amon seedlings on hundreds of hectors of land.

Zakir Hossen, Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) at its Rangpur Regional Office told The Daily Star that the situation would worsen if there is no heavy rain in the area within 10 to 12 days. There should be continuous rain for a few days to save the amon fields, he said.

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"All DAE block supervisors and upazila agriculture officers have been asked to go to fields to advise farmers on pest management," he said.

Experienced farmers in Rangpur and other districts said the pest attack will increase if there is no rain.

They said they are using different brands of insecticide on fields but to no effect.

Abul Kashem, a farmer in Nachhnia village in Rangpur Sader upazila said, " Pest is devouring Aman plants on my three acres of land. I sprayed Corolux and Mortar insecticides but the pests are not disappearing."

According to information available from DAE's Rangpur Regional Office, 10,44,900 hectares of land have been brought under Amon cultivation in eight northern districts with a target to produce 2,591,352 tonnes of paddy this season.

Of the lands, 1,48,502 hectares are in Rangpur, 2,54,402 in Dinajpur, 1,20,381 in Thakurgoan, 90,759 in Panchagoar, 1,12,649 in Kurigram, 1,16,413 in Nilphamari and 1,14,987 Gibandha district.

Paddy production was about 30 per cent less than the target in the last season in northern districts, DAE officials said.

Nothing can be said now about the prospect of the Amon yield, they said. If the pest attack can not be controlled, the yield will be less than that in the last season, they said.