Budgam: Hundreds of acres of standing crop and fruit trees have started withering away in scores of villages in central Kashmirs Budgam district due to an unknown disease.
Reports said that due to mysterious disease crops and fruits have destroyed in different hamlets of the district including Krimshora, Aarigam, Namalyar, Dreyagam, Bandpora, Bogaru and Wakora. Locals told CNS that the farmers are anxious and worried as the crops and fruits have withered away from past fortnight. It is a mysterious disease and due to it the crops and fruits are changing into dusky colour. Some Agriculture officers have taken samples but they failed to detect the cause and remedy of this mysterious disease, said a farmer.
The wheat, which had grown well over the last three months and was flourishing, collapsed completely in a short time. The growth of other crops and fruits like apple and pear plants in affected areas has retarded, their leaves have become parched red and have started crumbling. “We have never seen such an infection earlier,” the farmers said.
The affected farmers have demanded immediate compensation, waiver of loans and other measures to ensure they could repay their debts. There is immediate need to conduct survey of crop damage and provide monetary aid to affected farmers, they said.
When contacted an Agriculture official said that he would not be able to comment without inspecting the crop, however another official wishing not to be named said that the prolonged wet spell and variation in heat has led to a fungal infection in the roots of the plants
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