Md. Kamruzzaman Khan Picklu, Chitalmari, Bagerhat:
Current insects (Mouya) have attacked the fields in different areas of Chitalmari upazila of Bagerhat just before the boro paddy ripening.
Even after spraying ash, sand and various pesticides on the land infested with insects, the farmers have lost their way. The local agriculture department has urged the paddy farmers not to panic over the current insect attack.
At the same time, they are going to different blocks in groups and giving various advices to the farmers to protect the paddy fields from insects.
According to the Chitalmari Agricultural Extension Department, there are a total of 21 blocks in 7 unions of the upazila. Hybrid and Ufshi varieties of paddy have been cultivated in 28,528 acres of land and 383 acres of land in 21 blocks in the current season.
About 30,000 families are involved in this paddy cultivation. Their economic backbone depends a lot on this paddy. Initially, bumper yield of paddy was expected this year as the weather was favorable.
Dipak Biswas, Sunil Hira, Anil Hira, Sumon Bairagi, Pradeep Bairagi, Mukanda Roy, Dulal Roy, Hiran Barai, Sanjay Sikder, Piyush Biswas, Balai Hira, Govinda Mridha, Asim Bairagi, Ratan Byapari, Charbani Bipari of Dariumajuri village of the upazila. Many paddy farmers, including Ekhlach Mollah of Patarpara and Almir Hossain of Kuraltala, said almost unanimously that most of our farmers had taken their land for cash. After selling this paddy, a large amount of money has to be paid to the land owner.
This year I have owed a lot of money with the wages of rice seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and oranges. At first I was hopeful seeing the condition of the paddy field. This time the credit for rice production will go down. But just before the paddy ripens, the field is suddenly attacked by the current insects (Mauya).
The tree is dying with the color of burning. Many sheaves of paddy are falling. We have lost our way even after spraying ash, sand and various pesticides on the land infested with insects.
However, Chitalmari Upazila Agriculture Officer Rituraj Sarkar said the current weather is favorable for current insects. Therefore, current insects have attacked some paddy fields in the upazila.
People from the agriculture office are working in different areas in groups. There is nothing to fear of the paddy farmers in the attack of current insects. This is because against the current insects, different companies have sufficient stocks of pesticides in the market.
