THE Jigawa Government has provided free 500 cartons of cypermethrin pesticide to farmers in Hadejia to eliminate ‘army worm’, a deadly pest that recently destroyed farmlands in the area.

Alhaji Usman Mohammed, Chairman, Hadejia Chapter, All farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), disclosed this in Hadejia, Jigawa, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the moth had invaded some farms a fortnight ago, destroying beans, Benny seeds, rice, maize and groundnut crops among others.

Mohammed said AFAN ensured that the pesticide was distributed to farmers in the remotest corners of the area to control the spread of the disease.

He said, ‘‘Within five days of the epidemic the state government intervened by providing pesticides, which were distributed to farmers in all the eight local governments of northern zone.

‘‘We ensured that the chemical was spread in the affected farmlands, and I am happy to inform you that within a week, the disease was eliminated.

“You will recall that the delay in response to the epidemic in 2017 was responsible for heavy losses recorded by our members.”

Mohammed commended the state government for providing improved rice seedlings to farmers for maximum yields.

He noted that with the new seedling, Faro 44, farmers could now produce 50 to 60 bags of rice per hectare, contrary to the 30 bags that they harvested in the past after planting local seed.

The chairman also commended the state government for selling fertiliser at a subsidised rate of N 5, 500 to farmers, as against the market price of between N6, 500 and N7, 000. (NAN)

Jul. 31, 2018 @ 16:25 GMT |