BARGARH/NUAPADA : As fear of locust attack looms large over Western Odisha districts of Bargarh and Nuapada, which share border with Chhattisgarh, panic-struck vegetable growers of the region have started taking preventive measures to save their standing crops.The swarm of locusts which are short-horned grasshopper with highly migratory habits and voracious feeding behaviour, have already reached Chhattisgarh. And the farmers fear that the insects will invade Odisha in the coming days. 

According to official reports, harvesting of pulses and oilseeds during the current rabi season has already been completed in both the districts. Currently, harvesting of rabi paddy is going on in full swing and the locusts do not attack ripe paddy. However, they can attack vegetable crops.Different kinds of vegetables have been grown over 32,536 hectares (ha) of land across Bargarh district and 905 ha in Nuapada district during the current rabi season.

Indra Bhoi of Banjibahal village in Nuapada district has cultivated brinjals over one acre of land and long beans over half-an-acre of land. If locusts attack his crops, he fears a loss of `1.5 lakh. The farmer, who has already been affected by the lockdown, is not leaving anything to chance and has started spraying neem-based insecticide on his crops.

Similarly, Sindhuraj Barik of Kumbhari village under Bargarh district has cultivated pointed gourd, lady’s finger and cluster beans over half-an-acre of land. He has already sold vegetables worth `30,000 and targeted to generate `50,000 more from the standing vegetable crops. He, too, has started spraying insecticides to save his crops.

Chief District Agriculture Officer of Bargarh, Dinabandhu Gandhi said farmers are being sensitised on how to deal with the situation. At present, there are only standing vegetable crops in the district and farmers have been advised to spray neem seed kernel extract and neem-based insecticide to protect their crops, he said.

Surveillance teams to prevent locust attack
Koraput: The district administration has formed block-level surveillance teams to coordinate with farmers on measures to prevent locust attack. After meeting officials of various line departments on Tuesday, Collector Madhusudan Mishra said in wake of possibility of locusts invading the district from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, all measures are being put in place to prevent crop damage. Since there are chances that the insects may enter the district through forests, DFOs have been put on alert. “The Agriculture department is readying its pest control team. Insecticides have been stocked and farmers will be sensitised through leaflets and public announcements,” Mishra said.