Agriculture / Balangir Farmers in Distress as Crops Destroyed by Pests

Balangir, Oct 3: Farmers across several villages in Bangomunda block, including Chulifunka, Kapilabhata, Gandharabandh, Baldha, and Belpada panchayats, are facing severe distress as their paddy fields have been ravaged by chakada pests.

Hundreds of hectares of farmland have been affected, leaving cultivators anxious about their future. Similar conditions have been reported from Muribahal and Turekela blocks, compounding the crisis.

For many farmers, this season was already difficult. After initially struggling with scant rainfall, they later faced heavy showers that damaged crops. Now, the pest infestation has shattered hopes of a good harvest.

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Farmers, who had borrowed heavily from moneylenders and banks to cultivate paddy, are staring at losses. Despite spraying pesticides supplied by the block office and purchasing additional chemicals from local shops, cultivators complain that the pests remain unchecked.

“The pests are not dying even after repeated spraying. Our crops are being destroyed completely,” farmers lament, expressing fear over repayment of loans and survival in the coming months. The situation has triggered widespread concern in villages, where months of hard work appear wasted.

Balangir district agriculture officials have acknowledged the outbreak. They confirmed that the department is monitoring the situation closely, conducting weekly reports to the government, and deploying specific pesticides to control the spread.

Surveys are being carried out in affected villages to assess damage and provide solutions. For now, farmers await urgent intervention. The question remains: how quickly can the agriculture department reach the ground and provide effective relief to save the season’s yield?