Survey of paddy crop in Yamunanagar district

A joint survey of paddy crop was conducted in various areas of the district by officials of the Regional Central Integrated Pest Management Centre (RCIPMC), Faridabad, and Haryana Farmers and Agriculture Department, Yamunanagar.

The survey was conducted under the guidance of Dr JP Singh, Plant Protection Adviser, Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage, Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

During the survey, officials interacted with farmers to assess the prevalence of pests and diseases, which was negligible at present.

Dr Satish Kumar, Assistant Plant Protection Officer; Dr Vivek Singh, Block Agriculture Officer; and other officials briefed farmers about Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques to protect their crops from pests and disease, including the dwarf disease reported in paddy during the previous year.

Farmers were advised to adopt pest-control measures and avoid indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides. Officials stressed the importance of regularly monitoring crops so that any pest or disease outbreak could be detected at an early stage.

The farmers were also told that they could contact their respective Block Agriculture Officer or the Regional Central Integrated Pest Management Centre in case of a significant pest or disease infestation.

The team also created awareness among farmers about the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) mobile application. Officials explained that farmers could use the app to obtain information about pests and diseases affecting their crops and get immediate guidance on their management.

“The use of the app will also help farmers make appropriate use of pesticides approved by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee,” he said.