RANGPUR, Oct 22, 2018 (BSS) – Agriculturists at a post-rally discussion
have laid emphasis on elimination of rats to reduce crop damages and make
farm activities more profitable by increasing food production.
Kishoreganj Upazila Agriculture Office of the Department of Agriculture
Extension (DAE) organised the discussion at its office in Kishoreganj upazila
town of Nilphamari for launching of the National Rat Elimination Campaign-
2018 on Sunday afternoon.
Kishoreganj Upazila Chairman Rashidul Islam inaugurated the campaign as the
chief guest with its Nirbahi Officer Abul Kalam Azad in the chair. Islam also
led a rally on the occasion.
Kishoreganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Enamul Haque discussed the
importance of rat elimination, narrating the huge damages to crops,
properties and infrastructures annually being caused by rats with suggesting
the way-outs.
“Rats eat or destroy 5-7 percent Aman crop, 8-12 percent wheat, 5-7 percent
potato, 6-9 percent pine apples, 3-5 percent stored crops, 8-9 percent
coconut garden, 7-10 percent irrigation canals and other properties, causing
massive losses annually,” he said.
He also said rats could also carry viruses or germs of some 40 diseases,
including plague, and cause havoc to embankments and every pair of the
creature could give birth up to 2,500 rats annually raising their capability
for damaging crops.
Upazila Veterinary Surgeon Rakibul Islam called upon the common people and
farmers to step up the rat-elimination campaign through creating social
awareness for saving huge crops from colossal damages being caused by the
creature.
“Elimination of rats is very essential as the creature not only destroy
crops, but also cause huge damages to various household goods, irrigation
canals, roads and sewerage systems,” he added.
The chief guest stressed conducting field level training of the farmers and
distribution of leaflets, organising ‘Jarigan’, slide exhibition and
campaigns at the grassroots levels to make rat-elimination campaign
successful.
Assistant Upazila Agriculture Officer Kushar Kanti, Sub-assistant Plant
Protection Officer Azizar Rahman and Sub-assistant Agriculture Officer Belal
Hossain, among others, spoke.