Balurghat: Pest attack puts Kushmandi farmers in deep distress

BALURGHAT: Farmers in several areas of Kushmandi block are facing severe distress following a large-scale pest attack on Aman paddy fields. The insects, locally known as ‘Choshok Poka,’ have infested large stretches of farmland, damaging crops by draining the sap from the paddy plants and thereby reducing the expected yield drastically.

The infestation has come as a major blow to farmers who were expecting a good harvest this season after months of hard work. With the insects feeding on the plants, many fields have turned yellow prematurely, leaving cultivators anxious about the fate of their crops and income.

Thursday also marked the final date for the submission of crop insurance forms at the local agriculture office. From early morning, a long queue of farmers could be seen outside the office, many of them deeply worried about the growing pest problem in their fields.

“I have more than one acre of paddy under attack by these insects. The condition of the crop is extremely poor. I am losing sleep thinking about how we will feed our families this year,” said Sukanta Mahato, a farmer from Kushmandi, as he waited in line to submit his insurance application.

For hundreds of small and marginal farmers like Sukanta, this paddy crop is their only source of livelihood. The sudden pest infestation, occurring just weeks before harvesting, has left them uncertain about recovering even their cultivation costs. Speaking of the situation, Reza Zahir Abbas, Agriculture Officer of the Kushmandi Panchayat Samiti, said: “I have requested all farmers to complete their crop insurance formalities without delay. If any farmer is unable to fill out the form, I will personally take up the matter with the higher authorities.”

Meanwhile, officials from the agriculture department said that the extent of the damage is being assessed.

A team of agricultural experts is likely to be sent soon to the affected areas to examine the fields and recommend appropriate remedial measures, including pest management practices and chemical sprays to control further spread.

Farmers, however, remain worried that even with intervention, a significant portion of their crop may already be lost. With harvest season just around the corner, many fear that the infestation could push them into financial hardship, underscoring once again the fragile condition of agriculture-dependent livelihoods in rural Bengal.