Late blight disease worries Nilphamari, Joypurhat cultivators

NILPHAMARI, Jan 14: Late blight disease has broken out in most of the potato field in the district. In this disease the leaves of the potato plants turn twisted and become weak and die consequently.
Sources said cold wave coupled with dense fog is the main cause of the disease.
Cold wave has been continuing for over the two weeks.
Azamal Hossain, block supervisor of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Nilphamari Sadar said farmers are advised to spray Mencogev & Melidodo medicine in the potato farmland affected in the disease and the farmers are doing so.
Sources said late blight disease is a yearly phenomenon of potato plants and if any farmer do not use medicine in time his potato would suffer setback.
While contacted Abu Alam, a potato farmer of Itakhola union parishad (UP) of sadar upazila said he cultivated potato in 60 decimals of land which are affected by disease and he is now spraying the medicine prescribed by the BS and the plants may or may not be cured as inclement weather is being prolonged.
Sources said in the immediate past year the potato growers sustained massive loss due to low price of the product. DAE sources said this year's target of potato cultivation in the district is in18,869 hectares of land and production target is 3,70,947 tonnes.
Meanwhile, our correspondent from Joypurhat adds: Potato growers of the district are worried for acute late blight disease.
"Prolong dense fog is causing the disease, said farmer Shahadat Hossain of Madipukur village under Akkelpur upazila. "I have purchased insecticide at a cost of Tk 5,000 for my five bigha of potato land", he further said.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office around 10,000 hectares of land have been affected with the disease and it may exceed more than 20,000 hectares if the adverse weather continues.
Late blight disease may hit strongly to reduce potato production of this season, said sub-assistance agriculture officer of DAE Azizar Rahman. The farmers need to keep the cropland dry round the clock for a good result.
Deputy Director of DAE Sudhindranath Ray said, to save the affected potato crop land the peasants have to spray the insecticide properly.
Dense fog is enemy for potato land but blessing for mustard, he added.