Jute plants drying in fields as new insects attack reapers

Farmers in Jaldhaka upazila of the district cannot cut jute plants during the peak harvesting period this year due to biting of unknown tiny insects that causes unbearable itching on the skin.

Consequently, farmers are set to incur huge losses from jute cultivation this season.

Besides, they are failing to prepare the lands for cultivation of aman paddy as the next crop.

This year jute was cultivated in 2,500 hectares of land, which is 500 hectares higher than the previous year, said sources in the agriculture department in Jaldhaka upazila.

Mid June to last week of July is the proper time for harvesting jute and farmers in the upazila are ready to cut the plants now as there is enough water to rot the jute plants due to sufficient rainfall.

But whenever farmers or their day labourers start cutting jute plants in fields, previously unknown tiny insects bite them and consequent unbearable itching on affected parts of the body forces them to leave the field instantly.

The affected portions later develop scabies, which is very difficult to cure.

Farmers said they had sprayed different insecticides a number of times to eliminate the insects but all the efforts ended in smoke.

The day labourers are now unwilling to cut the jute plants even after offering double the usual wage.

The matured jute plants are now drying in many fields, making it virtually impossible to collect the fibres.

"Agriculture officials suggested farmers to wear long dresses to cover the whole body and rub insecticide as remedy of the attack of new kind of insects in jute fields. As it proved ineffective, I have brought the matter to the notice of the higher authorities for a solution," said Upazila Agriculture Officer Jafor Iqbal.