Anxiety has gripped farmers of Chittoor district who are getting ready for sowing groundnut and alternative crops, following reports of swarms of desert locusts hovering over fields on the Maharashtra-Telangana intersection going viral in regional channels and on social media. Many of them have approached agriculture officials seeking answers to their questions.
As sowing would commence from the second week of June, coinciding with the likely arrival of monsoon, farmers are worried about the prospect of locust invasion.
Paddy farmers, though small in number in the eastern mandals and mulberry farmers in Kuppam division, are also keeping their fingers crossed. Tomato farmers are to some extent relaxed as the crop season has almost ended.
Joint Director (Agiruclture) N. Vijay Kumar told The Hindu that even if desert locusts invade the district, there would not be much impact as all major crops have almost been harvested.
Mud spraying
However, as a precautionary measure, in areas where there is standing crop or where harvesting has not been completed, farmers would be given orientation on a war-footing to undertake mud spraying. In order to accomplish the task, equipment such as rain guns would be used. The strategy had proved effective, the official said.
Accordingly, agriculture officials in Kuppam tri-State junction have alerted mulberry farmers and said machines to undertake mud spraying would be supplied to them as and when required.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) G. Srinivasulu said the locusts only attack tender leaves and shoots of various crops.
“The path of locusts is unpredictable as their speed is determined by the direction of wind. The forest ranges of the Rayalaseema region would naturally be dry this summer and formation of the first layer of greenery would mostly depend on the timeliness of the arrival of monsoon. Unlike agriculture fields, the canopy of forests is mostly scattered. That being the case, there is no immediate threat to forest cover,” the DFO said.
