Most of them are forced to clear their sugarcane field, and to hastily plant paddy as a damage control. [break]
Many other farmers in the district, which heavily relies on sugarcane farming, have not plant sugarcane this year fearing the pests.
Bishundar Yadav of Sangrampur has cleared the sugarcane farm, planted this year with the investment of Rs 100,000, in two bigahas land, to plant paddy.
Santalal Sah, an expert of sugarcane farming, said that the dozens of farmers in Sangrampur, Gamhariya, Malahi, Bariyapur, Gedahiguthi, Madhopur and Dharmapur villages have been affected.
This despite the fact that the use of pesticide such as Furadon can cure top borer, while mealybug can be treated by a common pesticide, he added.
"Top borer alone is likely to cause 25 percent drop in the sugarcane production," said Ram Sewak Thakur, a crop development officer, of Rautahat.
About one forth of total sugarcane farm in 14 bigaha land of the district is infected with the disease, according to Siyaram Sah, the Manager of Shree Ram Sugar Mills. He added the diseases are seen during the month of June and July and warned that the sugar production is likely to dip.
Related story
Sugar factories in Rautahat and Sarlahi face shortage of sugarc...
