Ishwardi farmers use pesticide in bean cultivation

Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :

Beans are being cultivated commercially in Ishwardi for the past 26 years.

Baghachla, Betbaria, Atgharia, Faridpur and Sheikhpara areas of Muladuli Union of upazila are the most cultivated of beans.

The smell of pesticides wafts through the air in the bean season.

However, farmers use pesticides worth 8 to 9 thousand taka per begha in bean cultivation which does not happen in any other plantation. Experts opined that it is damaging the soil and human body.

The villages in Muladuli were found covered with huge bean plantations.

Some of the farmers are tending the plants, some are picking beans, some are clearing weeds; some are spraying pesticides on the bean fields. One has to put a handkerchief to your nose to walk in the strong smell of pesticides.

According to the sources of Agriculture Office, beans were planted in 1 thousand 130 hectares of land last year.

This year, the target of bean cultivation has been set on 1 thousand 200 hectares of land.

In this, beans are cultivated in 850 hectares of land in Muladuli Union alone.

Two types of pesticides are commonly used in bean cultivation — one for insect control, and the other for fungicides or fungicides.

Also insecticides like Complesal Super, Miracolan are used on plants to increase yield which is known as bean plant vitamin to the farmers.

Insecticides are sprayed five days a week to control bean flower and young bean weevils.

Poison is applied twice a day due to high insect infestation in some fields. Commonly:

Sanconazole, Folipur, Contaf, Lona, Autostin, Enthracol and insecticides with various names including Fenfen, Sumi Alfa, Beld Expert, Eraster, Emaplus, Lumekitin, Confidor and Salmon are used as fungicides.

It is known that 8 to 9 thousand taka worth of pesticides are used per bigha in bean cultivation.

Sometimes it needs more. Beans are grown on 1,200 hectares of land in Ishwardi.

It can be seen from the calculation, if the cost of pesticides is 8000 per bigha in 9000 bigha land, pesticides worth Tk 7 crore 20 thousand are used in bean land.

Betbaria Shahidul said that 95% of the land has been planted with beans.

Pesticides should be applied after 2-3 days to prevent rotting and insect control after bean plants grow.

Using pesticides creates bad smell and spoils the environment, but there is nothing to be done. Pesticides must be used to grow beans.

Aminul Islam Babu of Muladuli said that one has to spend 10-12 thousand taka per bigha for bean pesticides.

Different types of insecticides including Granular, Sumithion, Tufgar, Fanthen, Ocozim have to be sprayed on the land regularly.

Inadvertently: Farmers become sick, even unconscious if they fall on the body.

Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Rumana Yasmin said, after reviewing at the field level, one bigha of beans costs about 39 thousand taka.

About 7-8 thousand taka are spent on pesticides. If the weather is not favorable, pesticides are more needed in bean cultivation.

In winter, if the heat of the sun is high, the attack of insects increases.

Farmers are advised to use environmentally friendly pesticides. He said that the soil is being damaged due to excessive use of pesticides and the health risk of farmers is also increasing.

Upazila Health Officer Dr. Asma Khan said, the use of pesticides in vegetable cultivation is very harmful for the human body.

Eating these vegetables can cause cancer. People can be affected by various complex diseases including kidney and liver damage, birth of disabled children.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Mita Sarkar said that though pesticides are important for crop production, excessive use of pesticides is harmful to the environment and human health.

We recommend using pesticides in controlled doses.

In addition to chemical pesticides, organic pesticides are also encouraged. Organic pesticides have no side effects.

The environment will be better and there will be no harm to the health of farmers and consumers.