Insects are a nightmare to farmers in Mandya

MANDYA: After facing the vagaries of monsoon, the farmers in rain-fed areas, mainly in Nagamangala taluk, are facing the threat of insect infestations. The major victims of these bugs are crops like finger millets, jower and sesame.
According to the irrigation department officials, around 90 per cent of finger millet crop grown on 15,480 hectares of land got infected with insects in Nagamanagala taluk.This rain-fed taluk received only 309.2 mm rain from April to October 26.
An average 1,546.4 mm rainfall is needed for normal crops output. "Utilizing meagre amount of water, farmers had grown various types of crops in 28,975 hectares of land. While they are expecting good yields, insects are swarming the large posse of agriculture land and around 90 per cent of crops got infested," said an official.
Insects are feeding on tender leaves and destroying the crops. Farmers said the pest population is being increased day by day despite sprinkling chemical insecticide in large quantity. "We have never seen such an amount of pest population earlier. When I applied pesticides, the numbers of worm came down, but within a few days, they surfaced. I have already lost finger millet, sesame and jower crops due this," said Suresh, a farmer in Devalapura village.
Insects are not only posing a threat to crops, they are entering the houses situated near agriculture fields too.
" I don't know what should I do for protecting my crops. This hellish worms have shattered my hopes of getting at least fodder cattle," rued Srikanth, a young farmer in Konasale village.