JAMALPUR, Nov 4, 2022 (BSS) - Farmers in the district are facing losses for using pesticides indiscriminately in their crop fields without proper diagnosis.
 
A good number of farmers who use pesticides in crops without diagnosing diseases become victims of huge loss. In many cases, they talk with pesticide medicine shop owners and purchase various pesticides but got no result.  
 
Green chilli cultivator Sahjahan at Bogabaid area in Jamalpur Sadar Upazila used seven kinds of pesticide in his field but got no remedy.  
 
The farmer told the BSS that he cultivated green chilli on 2.5 Bigha of land this year. When bacterial wild disease broke out at his chili field he contacted with a pesticide shop owner who with the connivance with pesticide agent prescribed him to spray seven kinds of pesticide one after another.
 
After failing to get remedy he contacted entomologist of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Station (BARI), Jamalpur who advised him to control the disease.  
 
Another farmer Rasel Khan at village Tupkar Char in Melandah Upazila of the district who cultivated brinjal also faced the same situation. The farmer said five types of pesticide were sprayed in his brinjal field at the advice of pesticide seller but got no result.
 
Entomologist, BARI, Jamalpur, Dr Abdul Mannan said without diagnosis of disease farmers use huge drop of pesticide in their field. In this way, the farmers are not only losing crops but also affecting soil organic structure and environment.

He said a section of unscrupulous pesticide traders and agents are taking advantage of the situation and selling pesticides to the farmers.
 
When contacted Deputy Director, Department of Agriculture Extension, Zakia Sultana said staff of agriculture department are always ready to help farmers if anyone seeks advice.  
 
She said farmers should contact agriculture officers if any disease brakes out in their crops without going to pesticide shops.
 
She urged the farmers to get help from agriculture experts by phone or in person in this regard.