Locust menace in paddy season worries farmers

PATNA: The sowing of paddy seeds has been taking place briskly for the last one week in 23 of the 38 districts and each known for producing this crop around 2 lakh tonnes to 7 lakh tonnes annually.
However, the farmers have been facing twin problems of locust attack and the high paddy seeds prices. The target for the paddy transplantation this year has been put at 33 lakh hectares, which would require 4.89 lakh quintals of paddy seeds.
The market price of seeds is around Rs850 per 6kg packet.Last season, it was around Rs700. The entry of locusts in parts of eight western districts is also giving a harrowing time to the farmers, who are applying traditional methods like beating tins and drum to create loud noise to keep the locusts away the paddy seedlings. “We also spray pesticides, but noisy sound is a better option,” Chunne Khan from Nasiriganj in Rohtas district said.
Farmers from Purnia and Katihar in eastern Bihar, as well as in Rohtas on the west said paddy sowing would be over in the next one week and the transplantation of seedlings would be over by July 25 in most cases.
“This Kharif season rain has come in time and rainfall is also good. Water is available and we are preparing the land for transplanting paddy seedlings,” Kabul Khan from Dinara in Rohtas district said.
“The big problem is the locusts. What can farmers do? They have to remain alert to protect their seedlings. One person always remains on guard in and around the chunks of land,” he added.
On account of locusts, the condition of farmers in Rohtas district, called the ‘rice bowl’ of the state, is particularly acute. The farmers in the districts which do not share border with eastern UP or are locust-free appeared relatively better placed.