Malda (West Bengal): Mango-producing farmers of Malda district of West Bengal are fearing their crop wasting due to pest attacks. In many areas, this crop is vulnerable to pest attack. Famous for the finest variety of mangoes, many farmers in the region are already fearing loss due to the Corona lockdown due to lack of export and lack of local buyers.
According to Krishnendu Nandan, deputy director of the district horticulture office, the pest called ‘Suli Poka’ has been damaging the mango crop for more than three-four years. He said, ‘These pests lay eggs on the surface of mangoes, whose size is very small. After this the larvae go inside the fruit and the crop gets spoiled. ‘
Up to 50 percent of the crop is wasted
Nandan said that if the problem is not resolved at the right time, then about 10 to 50 percent of the crop is wasted. He said that farmers have been asked to be vigilant and take necessary steps if pests are found. Nandan said, ‘All infected mangoes should be immediately plucked and sprayed with pesticides on trees regularly. If necessary, farmers can also take help from the horticulture department.
Farmers were hoping for a bumper crop
Till a few days ago, the farmers of Malda were expecting a bumper crop due to good weather and adequate rains this year. A farmer named Gaur Ghosh said that he has been able to overcome the problem of pests to a great extent by spraying pesticides from time to time.
Arun Ghosh, another farmer of the area, however, alleged that due to lack of formal management training from the government and lack of awareness, farmers often do not deal with this problem. Malda mango, grown on 31 thousand hectares in eight blocks of the district, is exported to various parts of the country and abroad.
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