Mautam rodents damage 6,600 hactares of cultivations

Aizawl, Sep 18(UNI): The Mizoram Agriculture department has estimated a damage of at least 6,600 hectares of Bamboo cultivations from rodents following bamboo flowering or Mautam in local parlance.

The Serchhip district among the eight affected districts was the worst hit with 1,878 hectares of rice cultivation lost due to rodent attacks followed by Aizawl district where a total area of 1,594 hectares damaged.

Of the 37 villages surveyed, only eight villages suffered low damage while the loss of cultivatuion in 18 villages were maximum and the rest villages having moderate damage in the district.

Thirteen of the 48 villages suffered a major set back, 25 villages reported low and 10 villages have received moderate loss.

Lawngtlai was in third with 1,397 hectares affected followed by Kolasib which had lost 782.90 hactares of cultivation to the rodent menace. As much as 564.80 hectares belonging to six villages in Lunglei district have been affected by rodent menace, officials said.

In Saiha district, 270.30 hectares of cultivation have been affected while in Mamit district it was in 211 hectares due to the rodents attack. Champhai was also affected by the attack of rats and pests.

Bamboo flowering is a catastrophe which occurs every 48-50 years, the last being in 1958-60.

UNI