Maize crop destroyed by armyworm

TANAHUN: An outbreak of army worm has destroyed corn crop in Byas Municipality-13. The farmers are worried over the attack by the armyworm just when the corn plant has started to bear fruit.

Meghnath Acharya, a local farmer, said that the corn crop planted in an area of about 10 ropani has been destroyed by the pests. “This is the third continuous year that the corn plantation has been destroyed by army worm,” he said.

The farmers had hoped for a good price for the maize grown as a winter crop, but in vain. Pesticides had been used several times for the prevention of such pests but it has not worked to address the problem. As a result, the farmers in the region are planning to give up corn farming and start planting green fodder instead.

Along with corn, armyworm has also damaged millet crop. After the corn and millet crops were destroyed by pests, the farmers complained that they did not get any help from the Agricultural Knowledge Center.

Another local farmer, Til Kumari Acharya, said that she had to suffer losses due to the destruction of the corn crop by army worm every year but it is sad that farmers do not get help from any authority when they suffer losses.

Ward President of Byas Municipality-13 Basant Bahadur said that the farmers were facing problems due to lack of skilled technicians in Byas Municipality. Serious consideration is being made to resolve the problem on a long-term basis.

For now, the ward is also taking initiative to provide relief to the farmers who have suffered losses due to the armyworm.