Locusts invade Cirebon regencies

Locusts invade Cirebon regencies

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon

At least 1,700 hectares of rice fields in four regencies in
Cirebon have been severely damaged by locust swarms and farmers
fear the insect menace left uncontrolled could threaten the
region's entire harvest.

The four districts attacked by locusts were Weru, South
Cirebon, Tengah Tani and Plumbon, Cirebon Agricultural Office
chief Ali Effendi said.

To try and prevent the locusts from destroying more areas,
Ali said the office had distributed free 260 liters of
insecticide to farmers bordering on locust-hit areas.

That amount, however, is far less than farmers need to protect
their crops and unlikely to make any difference to the situation.

"The insecticides have been distributed to farmers outside of
the four districts where the rice plants were damaged by the
locusts. Distributing the insecticide is a preventive measure in
order to ensure locusts do not spread to other places," Ali said.

Despite the locusts, rice production in Cirebon this dry
season is set to meet the production target of 270,000 tons, with
45,000 hectares in the region planted with rice.

Office head of pests and diseases Sunardi said the locusts
often swarmed in the transition between the rainy season and the
dry season.

Meanwhile, farmers whose fields were attacked by the locusts
said they had put their fate in God's hands.

Rusli said he could not protect his crops with insecticides
ahead of the locust attack because the spray at Rp 13,000
(US$1.35) a liter was too expensive.

He had lost half his year's work to the locusts, with one of
his two hectares of paddies destroyed, and did not know how he
would earn a living now, he said.