Kottayam: Farmers in a spot as rats run riot in fields

KOTTAYAM: Paddy farmers of Thalayazham panchayat aren't fazed by the prospects of a flood, a bund breach or crop diseases. They are squaring off against an age-old pest that has brought farming to a near-standstill in 3,000 acres in the panchayat. With rats running riot, the future of nearly 1,000 farmers is at stake.
On Saturday, irate farmers staged a protest in front of the panchayat office in Thalayazham citing this menace. They had one key demand: an immediate intervention by the state government to end their crisis. Farmers are also hoping that the panchayat might step in and help them.
Agricultural officer of Thalayazham Reshma Gopi admitted that the issue is grave and if rats have their way for another 10-20 days, entire crops in the padasekharams (paddy field clusters) will be destroyed.
Farmer Sibichan Edathil, who is also the president of a padasekharam in the region, said rats have multiplied in large numbers. "They start attacking crops at a very early stage. Government-approved pesticides are ineffective against them," said Sibichan who suggested that the need of the hour is an effective pesticide to get rid of this menace.
He added that initiatives of the agricultural department like rat-traps proved ineffective given the huge number of rats found in the fields. "We braved floods and rains; but rat menace is one huge hurdle. This trouble started a year ago, but it was contained. This year, it worsened; natural predators like snakes are far and few here. This could be a change in the ecosystem, I'm not sure. In another 10 days, our crops will be gone if nothing is done," he said.
Meanwhile, Reshma Gopi said that experts from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Kumarakom visited the fields on Saturday. "I had already reported this issue to higher-ups and we are expecting the disease control team of the agricultural department to visit the area and find a solution soon," she said.
These farmers are also finding it difficult to get workers for farm-related activities as many are scared of diseases like leptospirosis due to the presence of many rats in these fields.