Armyworm outbreak worries Sunsari farmers

By Our Correspondent

Inaruwa, Oct.11: Farmers in Sunsari district are worried because of the outbreak of fall armyworm in their rice crops.

In Inaruwa Municipality, which is also the district headquarters, the outbreak has affected paddy crops in wards 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Similarly, farmers of Itahari Sub-Metropolitan City-17 at Pakli, Duhabi Municipality, Barju and Gadhi Rural Municipality are also in trouble after the outbreak of armyworm in their paddy filed. Farmers complained that the outbreak has spread in about 20 per cent of 55,000 hectares of the paddy cultivation area in the district.

Buchuwa Yadav, a farmer of Inaruwa-9 of Babia, said, "The paddy crop planted in his land has been damaged by the armyworm. Making matters worse, neither the consulting technicians nor the pesticide has been of any use."

Another farmer Chandan Sah complained that the armyworm has destroyed the paddy that was ripe for harvest. 

The insect has damaged Swarna and Radhabahra paddy planted in his 10 katthas of land, he said.

Sah added, "Farmers here have become victims after the armyworm started damaging paddy. The farmers' investment will now go down the drain after the worm destroyed the crops ready for harvest.” 

Nilkamal Singh, chief of Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Sunsari, said that several municipalities have been providing various training, advice and suggestions to the farmers of Sunsari district to tackle the problem of armyworm, which is on track to become widespread.