GODAWELLA PEST DEVASTATES 30 PC OF PADDY IN ANURADHAPURA

The Anuradhapura District has witnessed a significant impact on paddy cultivation, with over 30% of the crop being affected by the Godawella Pest. While the Agrarian representatives charged that the Department of Agriculture had done little or nothing, its Deputy Director said the Dept has started awareness programmes among the farmers.

This has caused considerable distress among farmers, as the pest’s rapid spread mirrors the devastation caused by the Fall Army Worm pest in maize cultivation just a year ago.

Agrarian organizations’ representatives have expressed concern over the alarming rate at which the Godawella Pest is proliferating.

Kumudu Jayawardene, a representative from the Shravastipura agrarian organization, lamented the recurring challenges faced by paddy farmers, citing the current Yala season as being marred by the Godawella Pest. Jayawardene further revealed that the Agriculture Department has yet to address this issue adequately.

Despite farmers’ attempts to control the infestation by utilizing pesticides available in the market, their efforts have proven futile, according to Jayawardene.

Gouri Samaraweera, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture, acknowledged the severity of the situation. She disclosed that the department has initiated an awareness program to educate farmers on the appropriate use of agrochemicals as a means to combat the pest effectively. Samaraweera attributed the rapid spread of the Godawella pest to the prevailing hot weather conditions, which have led to the ruination of more than 30% of paddy cultivation in the Anuradhapura District. As the destructive impact of the Godawella Pest continues to threaten paddy cultivation, farmers anxiously await concerted efforts from the authorities to mitigate the damage and safeguard their livelihoods.