Pulwama, Sept 19: Rice blast disease has caused significant damage to standing paddy crop at Zahid Bagh village in Litter area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Rice blast is a fungal infection which manifests as small, dark lesions on leaves, stems, and grains of rice plant. These lesions can quickly expand and merge, causing severe damage to the plant and reducing grain quality and yield. In severe cases, entire rice fields can be devastated.
Farmers from Zahid Bagh village informed Rising Kashmir that standing paddy crop spread on around 100 kanal of land has been affected with Rice blast.
Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, an aged farmer from the village reported 60 percent damage in the affected patch at Zahid Bagh Kha.
He informed that residents in this village mainly grow paddy crops and derive their living from this farming activity.
The farmers said that some growers have insured their crop under Pradhanmantri Fasal Beema Yojna but majority of farmers didn’t opt for the insurance cover.
Now, the distressed farmers are appealing to authorities of the Agriculture Department to visit their area to assess the damage and provide them compensation .
Fayaz Ahmad, an Agriculture Extension Assistant in the Litter zone, said that the farmers are growing a traditional variety which is prone to blast.
He said that they informed farmers during sowing season for implanting resistant varieties like SR2 and SR4.
“The growers were also instructed to insure their crops under Pradhanmantri Fasal Beema Yojna but only few paid heed to our pleas,” he said.
Chief Agriculture Officer, Pulwama, Mohammad Iqbal Khan, said that those farmers who have been covered under Pradhanmantri Fasal Beema Yojna will get the insurance amount.
“The list of other affected farmers, who had not registered themselves under the insurance scheme, will be compiled and it will be forwarded to higher officials for consideration of compensation,” he said, adding that the seeds of paddy in the affected area will be replaced for next season.
