More than 100,000 acres of paddy ruined by pest in Polonnaruwa

Vast tracts of paddy cultivation of the Yala season in the Polonnaruwa District had been affected by a pest on the verge of harvest, Agricultural Officials said.

Deputy Director of Agriculture of the Polonnaruwa District R.P. Upali said more than 100,000 acres of paddy cultivation had been destroyed by the pest.

He said that the farmers should use pesticides as instructed by the agricultural extension officers or else the paddy cultivation in the entire district would be destroyed and the pest would spread to other areas as well.

RB 5 canal area was the worst affected area and that more than 6,000 acres of paddy cultivation in Weerapura along had been devastated.

He said the farmers had been instructed on preventive methods and the agro-chemicals used at the early stage but their failure to follow the instructions had worsened the devastation.

The official said the pest had caused unprecedented crop devastation in the Yala season this year. He said he visited the affected areas with agricultural officers and instructed the farmers on preventive measures.

He pointed out that the prevailing dry weather and strong winds had caused cropdevastation in several areas.

Meanwhile, the affected paddy cultivators said they expected the Government to pay compensation for the crop devastation.