Pest attack chances could grow if monsoon weakens; feel industry players

So far no unusual rise in attacks seen in most crops

The long dry spell in August, which was broken recently, is adding to farmers’ woes as the crops have become vulnerable to pest and insect attacks, and this may result in loss of yield or higher expenditure.

According to industry players, crops such as cotton, paddy, and to some extent, pulses are most vulnerable to pests and diseases if the monsoon remains patchy for the rest of the season.

The agricultural input survey data shows that at an all-India level, around 38.8 per cent of the irrigated area is treated with pesticides while the figure is 36.1 per cent for