Rice Paddy Fields Suffer From Brown Planthopper Outbreak

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Rice Paddy Fields Suffer from Brown Planthopper Outbreak

ANG THONG: -- Rice paddy fields in Ang Thong Province are suffering from an outbreak of brown planthoppers, with more than 10,000 rais of farm lands in four districts already destroyed.

Farmers in Ang Thong’s Chai Chan District quickly fumigated their crops to protect them from the invading brown planthoppers, which are spreading quickly over a wide area.

Ang Thong Provincial Agriculturist Sompit Poonsawat said the brown planthopper outbreak has infested four districts in Ang Thong Province, including Wiset Chai Chan, Sam Kol, Saweangha, and Po Thong districts. Approximately 10,000 rais of farmland have already been destroyed.

After the inspection, provincial agricultural officials were ordered to provide assistance to locals in preventing the outbreak from spreading too widely. They have prepared reports to the provincial governor to inform him to declare the pest-infested areas a disaster areas and allocate a budget to assist farmers.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-13