Dhading, October 26

An outbreak of maggot in paddy fields in Dhading lately has the farmers worried. So far, the outbreak has been reported in Thakre, Galchhi, Gajuri, Benighat, Rorang and Siddhalek rural municipalities and Dhunibesi and Nilkantha municipalities.

Ramchandra Adhikari, a farmer of Galchhi Rural Municipality-6, said it was unfortunate that the outbreak appeared at a time when the farmers were preparing to harvest crops. “After the outbreak, farmers like me visited local levels for technical assistance, but to no avail. As the locals levels don’t have agriculture experts, the same has added to our worries now,” he said.

Assistant Technician Rajendra Rupakheti of Thakre Rural Municipality said, “As the pest absorbs the sap present in the crops, it makes the plants die.”

On the face of the outbreak, Thakre Rural Municipality has started sprinkling pesticide to prevent further destruction of crops. The preventive measure followed an inspection of the outbreak-hit fields in Thakre-11, Baluwaphant by a team including Thakre Rural Municipality-11 ward chair Rabi Prakash Ojha and technical assistant Rupakheti.

Meanwhile, farmers in other local bodies where the outbreak has appeared have lamented the lack of action from the authorities. Technicians, citing the nature of the disease, have prodded the local bodies concerned to take timely action to control the outbreak.