Farmers in Trongsa are busy battling armyworms. Swarms of armyworms are eating away crops in Trongsa’s four gewogs; Draagteng, Langthil, Nubi and Tangsibji, according to agriculture office in Trongsa.
This is the second outbreak, this year. The first one was a month ago.
Tshultrim, 40, from Eussa under Draagteng has lost all his crops to armyworms. He is replanting maize with the help of his friend. “It is not the right season to sow maize. But I have no option.” He says if the armies of worms invade again, he would be devastated.
Like Tshultrim, many locals have started sowing maize again.
They are now worried about paddy. Paddy saplings have just started sprouting. “We could starve of the worms attack our paddy,” said a farmer, Tandin Om from Eussa.
Tandin Om said the worms attack everything. “There are about 5-6 worms in a single plant.”
The Dzongkhag Agricultural Officer, Karma Chewang said the office is spraying plant protection chemicals in the affected fields. He also said the farmers should visit the nearest Agriculture extension office to collect the chemicals.
