SANKHUWASABHA: Ants are destroying potato planted on large swathes of land in eastern VDCs of Sankhuwasabha district. Anxious farmers are switching to other occupations after ants wiped out potato, one of their cash crops and a source of livelihood in the district. Hatiya, Kimathanka, Chepuwa, Diding and several other VDCs are victims of ant menace. The loss has hurt farmers. “The ants are showing no sign of stopping. They are going killing potato plants,” said an apprehensive local, Ram Rai. Farmers said they used many pesticides but the insect army is invincible. Agriculture officials say ants wreak havoc on potato farming during the monsoon season. “The ants surface during monsoon just after the plants bear tubers, then they damage the plants,” said Badri Narayan Dev, official at the District Agricultural Office. He said the agriculture office will do its best to control the ants. “The farmers told us about the ant menace rather late.” Farmers said the yield could not even meet the money invested on seed. Jang Bahadur Rai of Diding-2 was earning Rs 50,000 annually. “This year, I won’t make any money,” he said. Potato is the second largest cash crop in the district after cardamom farming.