Rangpur region Late blight disease dampens farmers' hope of a good yield

RANGPUR, Feb 03: Attack of late blight disease in potato fields in five districts under Rangpur agriculture region has come as a great shock to the farmers in the current season.

Extensive damage to their potato plants caused by the fungal disease has made a sharp dent in their expectation for a good harvest.

According to sources, late blight disease has broken out in different areas of the region consequent upon a cold and foggy weather prevailing for more than one week.

The disease 'late blight', which usually leads to widespread ruination of potato fields, develops from fungus owing to dense fog and lack of sunlight.

It is learnt, though the financially sound cultivators are combating the menace by applying sufficient medicines, the small or marginal farmers are finding it difficult to go through the process as the medicines are expensive beyond their capability.

Seeing the severe attack of the disease, the growers in some cases have become apprehensive of a crop debacle. According to sources at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Rangpur, farmers cultivated potato exceeding the target in five districts of Rangpur agriculture region this season, as they had got fairly good price of the crop in the previous years.

In the current season, potato was cultivated on a total of 1,19,839 hectares of land in the region against the target of 1,00,602 hectares set by the DAE. The districts belonging to the agriculture region are Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Nilphamari.

The region has been experiencing breezy wind and foggy atmosphere for more than a week, resulting in attack of the disease on potato fields.

Hashem Mia, a potato cultivator in Jaigirhat area of Mithapukur upazila under Rangpur district, told The Financial Express that last year he got a hefty profit from potato farming which encouraged him to expand the cultivation area of the crop this season.

He cultivated the crop on six bighas of land this year. At the initial stage he was optimistic about attaining a good harvest but late blight disease caused by recent inclement weather came as a severe blow to him. He said he had to spend additional Tk8,000 to Tk10,000 for applying medicine to protect his potato fields.

Jonab Ali, another grower of Charaikhola area in Nilphamari Sadar upazila, told the FE, if the weather condition remains same for long, the yield of potato will severely be affected.

The plants remain wet with fog throughout the day. Spraying fungicide in this condition is not yielding satisfactory result, he also said.

Likewise, a good number of farmers said that potato plants could not be saved even after spraying costly medicine two to three times a week.

Farmers said they would incur a heavy financial loss due to the prevailing intense cold and foggy weather.

In addition to labour cost, fertilisers, seeds and irrigation, there is an additional cost for the frequent uses of medicine which has become a burden for them, they added.

Obaidur Rahman Mandal, additional director of the DAE, Rangpur region, said, "Presently farmers are more conscious than before. They are taking care of the crop. The situation has not yet become so adverse. Apart from this, necessary advices are being given from the agriculture department to them."

Md Reaz Uddin, deputy director of the DAE, Rangpur, told the FE, this year weather is not so much hostile for potato cultivation.

The situation is expected to be normal soon, he said, adding this season attack of late blight disease is not alarming either.

He said officials of the agriculture department are constantly giving advices to the farmers to help them overcome the crisis at the earliest.

So far condition of the potato fields is good; hopefully, the production target will be achieved this year as well, he added.

[email protected]