Farmers in Siddipet district have a new pest to fret about.
Lakhs of grasshoppers have invaded their fields and damaged maize crop in about 1,000 acres of land at Gambhipur, Govardhanagiri and Ghanapur villages in Toguta mandal.
In the past one week, the farmers in these villages have completely lost their crop.
Loud sound
“Some of the farmers noticed grasshoppers and the sound that they produce, which was quite loud. But because they came to know of grasshopper attack only in the evening, they could do nothing. By next morning, their crop was completely damaged,” said an agriculture officer, who has been closely monitoring the situation.
In Medak district, about 60 acres of crop was damaged at Narsingi in Toopran mandal and parts of Ramayampet and Nizampet. “The grasshoppers first eat the weeds and then the maize crop. We have no idea where they are coming from, but they are in lakhs in number. A continued dry spell will create a conducive atmosphere for these insects to thrive,” Ajmeera Prashuram Naik, District Agriculture Officer, Medak, told The Hindu .
“The grasshoppers’ number may grow if the same weather conditions prevail. Loss faced by individual farmers has not yet been enumerated. It will take some more time for us to do that, but the loss to the farmers is huge,” said Sravan, District Agriculture Officer, Siddipet.
