Farmers seek pesticides to combat locusts

FIROZKOH (Pajhwok): Farmers in western Ghor province on Monday feared locusts would destroy all their wheat crops if measures were not taken to combat the difficult to control pests.

Mohammad Musa Kalim, the Daulatyar district chief, said the grievances of growers had been conveyed to the authorities concerned to help protect wheat crops from locust attack. “If pesticides are not provided to farmers, the locusts would damage the remaining crops.”

Faiz Mohammad, a local farmer. said:“I have cultivated wheat crops on five acres of land, but half of the crop has been destroyed by locusts. The government and the agriculture department should provide spray pesticides to protect the crops.”

Sher Mohammad, another grower, said his 20 percent crops had been attacked by locusts and the pesticides provided by the agriculture department had not been enough to be sprayed on all his fields.

Juma Khan Bakhtari, acting agriculture and livestock director, said the available stock of pesticides had been distributed to farmers. He said a high-powered delegation had been sent to Kabul to seek further assistance.

More than 6,700 hectares of land in Ghor is irrigated and 150 hectares of land is rain-fed. Mainly, wheat, corn, barley, potatoes, beans and vegetables and fruits are cultivated in the province.

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