Farmers lose battle with worms

BREBES, Central Java: For several weeks now hundreds of hectares of onion farms in the Tegal and Brebes regencies have been plagued with worms locally called ulat grayak.

Around 40 percent of the crop to be harvested from some 600 hectares of land are worm-infested.

An on-site officer from the agricultural ministry, Sudarso, told The Jakarta Post that the worms have become immune to the pesticide regularly used by farmers.

"The farmers are used to using pesticide more than it is necessary," Sudarso said, adding that the farmers have had to pick out the worms by hand to eliminate them.

Many farmers have had to harvest their crop prematurely before worms attacked it. (14)