Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, on Monday, interacted with areca growers and assured them all support from the government to control the spread of leaf spot (Ele Chukke) disease, fungal infection, affecting areca farms in parts of Tirthahalli and Hosanagar taluks.
The Minister had taken a team of scientists to Nalur in Thirthahalli taluk.
The disease was noticed in many parts in two taluks as the growers have not been able to spray medicine due to continuous rains in the last five months.
The increase in humidity had caused the spread of the disease. “Farmers need not worry. Once the rains recede, the impact of the disease will drop automatically,” he said.
The Home Minister also assured the farmers that the State government would announce subsidies for the medicine they require to control the disease.
He would appeal to the Chief Minister to provide the medicine through the Agriculture Department at the Cabinet meeting to be held on Tuesday, he said.
Experts suggested measures to tackle the disease. B. Gangadhar Naik, Professor of Plant Pathology at UAHS Shivamogga, said, “We have suggested farmers spraythe medicine. The disease spread because of the increase in humidity. It will come down once the rains recede,” he said. Farmers are worried as the disease impacts the yield in a major way.