SRINAGAR: A severe infestation of the Fall Armyworm pest has devastated maize crops in Mansar panchayat of Udhampur district, causing significant losses to local farmers and raising alarm across the agricultural community.
The Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), a highly invasive pest known to feed on over 80 crop varieties including maize, wheat, sorghum, millet, sugarcane, and vegetables, has once again struck the region. The infestation has affected nearly 3,000 hectares of farmland in the district, which has around 26,000 hectares under maize cultivation.
Chief Agriculture Officer Harbans Singh told reporters that the current outbreak was exacerbated by late sowing practices. “Fall Armyworm has been a recurring issue here for the past two to three years, primarily because of delayed sowing. This year, close to 3,000 hectares have been affected. We’ve deployed field teams for assessment and have already sprayed pesticides across the affected zones. Farmers are being advised to shift to early sowing to prevent future outbreaks,” he said.
The department has intensified awareness campaigns and is guiding farmers on pesticide use and preventive measures. Singh noted that early intervention is key to containing the pest, which poses a major risk to food security and rural livelihoods globally.
