KANCHANPUR, SEPTEMBER 13

Farmers in Belauri Municipality are worried about the disease in sugarcane planted in 60 bighas of land.

The disease was seen in the water-logged field, said Chief of the Agriculture Section of the municipality Suman Raj Bhatta. "Sugarcane planted in more than 15 bigha land has been destroyed by the red rot," he added. Sugarcane has suffered from red rot disease.

Fungus causes this disease. Bhatta further said the disease had destroyed 10 to 80 per cent sugarcane. The disease is mostly observed in CO-238 and CO-208 species of sugarcane. He also informed that red rot is like cancer.

However, efforts are under way to provide anti-fungus pesticide. Even sugar mills are joining hands to provide medicine to the farmers.

Sugarcane farmer Karmu Rana shared the plight that red rot had destroyed the crop. "Most of the sugarcane grown in five bigha land was diseased. I'm now engaged in spraying pesticide that controls fungus, he informed.

Another farmer Bhamta Rana also shared a similar story. The sugarcane in one bigha out of three bigha land was totally damaged.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 14, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.