Leaf folder insects wreak havoc on aman fields

Massive attack of 'leaf folder insects' on aman plants in different areas of the district worries thousands of farmers as use of pesticides fails to check the problem.

"I cultivated aman on one acre of land this season and the field is at the flowering stage. But the plants are drying out due to serious attack of leaf folder insects," said Md Nazrul Islam, a farmer of Churkhai area in Sadar upazila.

Rahima Khatun, a farmer of the same area, said she cultivated aman paddy on 40 decimals of land but the pest has affected most of her field.

The cost of aman cultivation has increased due to use of pesticides but it fails to check the attack, said several farmers.

Many farmers of Churkhai area were seen to uproot the dying aman plants at their fields to save the remaining plants that are still unaffected.

Information of pest attack is also reported from Trishal, Gafargaon, Tarakanda, Gouripur and Phulbaria upazilas under Mymensingh district during the last couple of days, said sources.

The farmers alleged that they could not seek suggestions from the agriculture officials and field workers as they are not visiting the affected fields.

Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said 2.63 lakh and 815 hectares of land were brought under aman cultivation in the district this year with a production target of 7.25 lakh and 500 tonnes of paddy.

Md Reazul Karim, additional deputy director (Crop) of DAE, said the leaf folder insects mainly attack tender leaves of the plants in shadowy parts of the fields in different areas.

The officials and field workers of the department are working in the field and giving suggestions to the affected farmers to tackle the situation, he said.

Some 500 hectares of land were affected by pest in the district this season, said Md Altabur Rahman, deputy director of DAE.

The situation is under control and it will not affect the production target, he claimed.