Bhojpur, October 26
Farmers in Bhojpur have become concerned after a pest locally known as “lai kira”, mealybug, was found infesting rice crops as the harvest season approaches. Farmers said the pest has damaged the base of rice plants, causing them to fall over, rice panicles to dry out, and straw to be damaged.
Local farmer Dhan Bahadur Thapa said the pest had appeared in the fields of most farmers in Bokhim, Bhojpur Municipality-5. He said rice crops had suffered damage from the infestation this year, although farmers had not experienced such a problem in previous years.
He said the pest weakens rice plants by damaging their bases, causing them to collapse and resulting in losses of both rice and straw. Farmers are increasingly concerned that the infestation will affect this year’s production.
“We had not seen such an infestation in rice crops in previous years,” he said. “The plants have started falling over after the pest damaged their bases. This has caused losses not only to rice production but also to straw needed for livestock.”
Another farmer from Bhojpur Municipality-5, Gita Bista, also reported the presence of the pest at the base of rice plants. She said the infestation had damaged both the plants and their panicles.
“The lai kira sucks sap from the base of rice plants, causing the plants to dry out and the panicles to turn black and fall off,” she said. “We farmers are facing difficulties as our main food crop for the year is being destroyed just as we are about to harvest it.”
Farmers said they were worried that their hard work and investment would go to waste as the crops were being damaged close to harvest time.
The falling rice plants have also made harvesting more difficult, adding to farmers’ problems as they face losses of both grain and straw.
—RSS
