Lalmonirhat Correspondent:

Farmers in Lalmonirhat are struggling this Aman season as paddy fields across the district come under severe attack from leaf curl, currant, and majra pests.

Despite applying various pesticides, many say they are not seeing the desired results, leading to rising costs and growing frustration due to the lack of proper guidance.

Sources said this season, Aman paddy has been cultivated on 86,645 hectares of land across Lalmonirhat district, just shy of the 86,650-hectare target. Unfortunately, the pest outbreak has coincided with the peak growth stage of the crop, threatening yields.

The infestation is particularly severe in Harati and Gokunda of Sadar Upazila, as well as in Sarpukur, Saptibari, and Bhelabari unions of Kaliganj Upazila, among other affected areas.

Farmers report having to use multiple types of pesticides to control the pests, pushing production costs up by Tk 3,000–4,000 per bigha. With already high prices of seeds, fertilizer, and labour, the additional burden is pushing many to the brink.

They also allege that a lack of timely and effective advice from agricultural officials is forcing them to rely on guesswork and trial-and-error methods in pesticide use, which is both costly and ineffective.

However, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) claims there is no major pest outbreak in the district this year. “Farmers are being advised regularly at the field level, and pesticide companies are also under monitoring,” said an official from the department.

Still, farmers insist that accurate and timely advice is crucial to protect their crops and livelihoods.

They also demanded stricter monitoring of pesticide companies to ensure quality and prevent the misuse of ineffective or harmful products.