'Sena' caterpillar continues to wreak havoc

COLOMBO(News1st): It has been two years since the sena caterpillar menace began and even now the menace continues to spread. Farmers recently claimed that the pesticide created to tackle this issue was distributed, without issuing guidelines on how to utilize it. Against such a backdrop the sena caterpillar has spread from corn to other cultivations. It is reported that the sena caterpillar has now targeted the pumpkin cultivation. As of now the sena caterpillar has been reported from many provinces in the country. It has been reported from North, East, North-Central, North-West, Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Southern provinces. So far Western province is the only one in which this problem is not reported. Recently damages from the sena caterpillar were reported from many areas in the Ampara district. Due to this menace cultivations such as pumpkin, Kurakkan and Cowpea in the Lahugala Divisional Secretariat have been damaged. Farmers lament that even though they use various pesticides to eradicate this menace, they have proven to be futile. "No matter what oil you apply at the end, it has eaten till the roots. We are completely helpless", One farmer stated. The farmers request compensation for the damages caused. " There is the Cultivation Tax Fund. That fund used for these matters. When funds such as them are there how come the farmers don't get any?" National Organizer of the All Ceylon Farmers Federation, Namal Karunaratne questioned. "Since the Government is in a financial crisis because of loans, we are suspicious on whether it is trying to pay off the loans using the funds allocated for farmers" he stated. "We fear that what happened to the Central bank funds will happen to the cultivation tax fund.", Namal Karunaratne further added. National Organizer of the All Ceylon Farmers Federation, Namal Karunaratne stated that they should introduce the program which pays compensation immediately.