Downpour hits maize crop

Our Correspondent

Una, August 19

A heavy spell of rain in Una district during the last 10 days has damaged about 10 per cent of the standing maize crop. Of the five developmental blocks in the district, maximum damage has been reported from the Una block.

Adding to the woes of the farmers, ‘fall armyworm’ has infested maize crop in most areas of the district.

Agriculture Department (Una) Deputy Director Kulbhushan Dhiman said farmers should report the damages to their standing croup to their respective patwaris, adding that if the loss is not registered in revenue records, farmers would not be able to claim compensation in case the government decides to give relief to farmers.

Una is known as the food bowl of the state, with maize cultivated over 31,000 hectares and paddy over about 1,900 hectares in the district.

While a small percentage of farmers have switched to cultivating vegetables, oil seeds and pulses during the kharif season, maize is traditionally the kharif crop of the region.

Dhiman said ‘fall armyworm’ infestation had been reported for the last two years in the district, and, this year, the department was well prepared with adequate stocks of insecticide.

As soon as the first reports regarding the outbreak came in, farmers were advised to spray chlorantraniliprole 18.5% insecticide, which is available at the Agriculture Department sale centres under the name Coragen, he added. The Deputy Director said 4-5 ml of the insecticide for a 15 litre spray pump had to be applied on the crop, followed by a second application after 15 days.

The insecticide had to be applied at the earliest appearance of the infestation to prevent the crop from further damage, he added.