Farmers fight losing battle against locusts<\/p>\n
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon<\/p>\n
Locusts traveling in vast swarms have stripped 8,000 more
\nhectares of rice fields in Cirebon regency of all vegetation,
\na senior government official says.<\/p>\n
\"Earlier, the locusts destroyed 1,700 hectares of rice fields
\nin four districts, now they have attacked 8,000 more hectares in
\nfive other districts,\" said chief of the Cirebon administration's
\nPlant Disease Office Sunardi on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The Cirebon government has distributed for free 5,500 liters
\nof pesticide among farmers in the areas, but more pesticide is
\nneeded, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We have spent some Rp 70 million on assisting the farmers,
\nand we can do nothing to help the rest as we are short of funds,\"
\nsaid Sunardi.<\/p>\n
The locusts have passed more areas as the weather has been bad
\nover the last few weeks, another official said.<\/p>\n
\"Strong winds and frequent rainfall have hampered efforts to
\nexterminate the locusts. The weather has surely helped the
\nlocusts breed and move quickly to other areas,\" said Asyikin, the
\nchief of Cirebon Agriculture Office's climatology and irrigation
\nsection.<\/p>\n
Asyikin was optimistic, however, that the locust situation
\nwould soon be under control as the weather would be milder in
\nearly August. \"Clear weather would make it easier for the farmers
\nto get rid of the locusts,\" said Asyikin.<\/p>\n
As government officials are working on strategies to
\nexterminate the locusts, farmers bemoan the skyrocketing price of
\npesticide. The price of Furudan (powder) pesticide has increased
\nin just a few weeks from Rp 15,000 per two kilograms to Rp
\n27,000.<\/p>\n
Likewise Warsal (liquid) pesticide, which earlier cost Rp
\n20,000 per liter, has been priced at Rp 37,000 per liter since
\nthe locust attacks.<\/p>\n
\"We can't do anything. The price of pesticide has been rising
\nand we do not have much money to buy it,\" said farmer Cholik, 27,
\na resident of Susukan subdistrict whose one-and-a-half-hectare
\nrice field was attacked by locusts.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/farmers-fight-losing-battle-against-locusts-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}