Mosquito nets protect winter crops

A good number of farmers in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila cover their vegetable fields with mosquito nets as the method has been proved effective to protect the plants from vermin and insects, without the use of any harmful chemicals. The photo was taken from Fulgachh village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila a few days ago. PHOTO: STAR

A good number of farmers in around 50 villages of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila are now using mosquito nets to protect their winter crops, especially vegetables, from vermin and swarm.

“Instead of using any pesticides, I cover my vegetable fields with mosquito nets to save the plants from vermin and swarm. I am getting better results by applying this method for the last three years,” said Nabir Hossain, 60, of Fulgachh village in Lalmonirhat Sadar.

"We can use the same mosquito nets several times for protecting crops, especially vegetables. The method costs less than that of using pesticides," Saberul Islam, 48, of the same village said.

"Attack of insects decreases about 90 percent if mosquito nets are used for protecting vegetables. Like me, many farmers in our village are getting benefit by using this method,” said Ataur Rahman, a farmer at Mogholhat village in Lalmonirhat Sadar.

Use of the method sees gradual increase in different areas of the district, said Alok Adhikary, sub-assistant agriculture officer in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Safayet Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension in Lalmonirhat, said the environment-friendly method of using mosquito nets has been found effective to save crops from vermin and swarm.