Scientists to visit Mizoram to study outbreak of FAW: Minister

Mizoram Agriculture minister C Lalrinsanga Monday said a group of scientists would soon visit Mizoram for on the spot study of the outbreak of the Fall Army Worm (FAW) which has left a trail of destruction in the maize fields across the state. Lalrinsanga said that the first case of FAW incidence was identified at Nghasih area near Lunglei town on April eight and had spread to all the eight districts in the state.

Combating the outbreak was undertaken at a war-footing by the state Agriculture Department, he said. This has prompted the state government to constitute the Rapid Response Team which made efforts to mitigate the losses of the maize cultivators by using pesticides and also educating the farmers how to use the pesticides, Lalrinsanga said.

"The FAW multiplied rapidly forcing us to use all our resources to combat the menace," the minister said, adding that the social organisations were asked to cooperate with the Agriculture Department in implementing the action plans to fight the outbreak. As per the latest report, 2,189 hectare of maize cultivation area was under FAW infestation which has affected 5,636 families engaged in maize farming.

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