Farmers resort to detergent to kill pests<\/p>\n
SORONG, Irian Jaya (JP): Frustrated by soaring pesticide
\nprices, farmers in Mariyai village have begun spraying their
\npaddy stalks with diluted detergent and soap.<\/p>\n
\"I've been using Rinso (detergent brand) and B-29 soap to kill
\npests attacking my plants,\" said farmer Ansuri. \"What am I
\nsupposed to do? I can't afford to buy pesticides!\"<\/p>\n
A local newspaper, Cenderawasih Pos, reported on Tuesday that
\nsince the economic crisis hit the country in 1997, the price of
\npesticides has increased tenfold, from around Rp 9,000 per
\npackage to Rp 90,000 today. Scarcity of transportation to the
\nremote areas has also been blamed for the price hike.<\/p>\n
Ansuri said he and fellow farmers were desperate and saw no
\nother alternatives. \"After experimenting, we found that this
\nworks. Soap and detergent is almost as effective as pesticides,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Ansuri said the farmers did not bother to consider whether the
\nalternative would affect the quality of their crops. \"We don't
\nworry about it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Locals said that over the past two years, their crops declined
\nby almost 50 percent because of the pests' attacks.<\/p>\n
Ansuri, who transmigrated here from Java 18 years ago, used to
\nproduce about two metric tons of rice every harvest. However,
\nafter the dramatic increase in pesticide prices, the lifting of a
\ngovernment subsidy also put fertilizers out of reach. He now
\nconsiders himself lucky if he can get a one ton harvest.<\/p>\n
In December, the government ended its subsidies on
\nfertilizers, raising the price of urea fertilizer by 150 percent
\nto Rp 1,115 (14 U.S. cents) per kilogram.<\/p>\n
M. Sesa, a farming counselor in the village, confirmed the
\nfarmers' desperation that forced them to use detergents and soap
\nto protect their plants from pests. \"The farmers are having a
\nreally difficult time,\" he said. (34)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/farmers-resort-to-detergent-to-kill-pests-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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