‘Fall-army worms’ threaten food crops

An infestation of caterpillar specie - Fall Armyworm- breakout that could destroy hundreds of acres of cultivation overnight is reported from Ampara, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Galgamuwa.

Already 4,000 acres of maize cultivation in Ampara had come under that menace, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

The specie first found in Nigeria ,had later reported to have been infested the fields in India.

“Eleven kinds of insecticide has been introduced to eliminate the spread of this caterpillar which lays 1,500 eggs during a year,” Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera said.

Paddy, sugar-cane, maize and vegetable were said to be most vulnerable to this insect.