DADU, Nov 22: The standing cotton crop is under the attack of Army Worm locally known as Lashkiri Keero and White Fly which are spreading fast though farmers are said to have extensively applied pesticides, but of no use. Cotton production has reduced considerably in Dadu taluka because of the pest attacks.

Worried growers have appealed to the Agriculture Department officials to send teams for controlling the disease on the crop standing on thousands of acres, particularly in Khudadad and Yar Mohammad Kalhoro union councils.

The DO, Agriculture Dadu, Ali Nawaz Kalhoro said that the crop came under insect attack some 30 days ago which has badly affecting the production as Army Worm is fast spreading and attacking the leaves of plants. Cotton, he said, is sown on 3,000 acres and the spread of disease at the fag end of the season has in fact inflicted a huge loss to farmers adding that application of pesticides within the seven days of attack may help in killing the worms but delay may not.

An affected grower Anwar Kalhoro said that though he applied different pesticides but none proved effective. He said that one acre produces 50 maunds of cotton but the attack of Army Worm and White fly has reduced it to a mere 10 maunds.

Cotton is under the attack of two pests while Agriculture Department seemed unaware of the spread of White Fly in Dadu which attacks the leaves and cotton bolls, eventually leading to the death of a plant, he said. Anwar Kalhoro has reportedly lost his cotton crop on 10 acres to pest attacks.

The disease has also for- ced the traders to reduce cotton rates though only two big names are known to growers in the union council of Kalhoro.

Another grower Abdul Waheed Kalhoro said that traders were purchasing cotton at Rs3,400 per maund against the rate of Rs5,200 prevalent before Eidul Azha.

Naseer Bhand of Talib Shah area complained about the sale of fake pesticides which proved ineffective thus causing both worry and financial loss to growers.

Hafiz Mohammad Mian Pirzado of Aminiani complained about the failure of Agriculture Department in giving suggestions to farmers for controlling the diseases. He said that he personally went to the office of the EDO and asked him to send some officials but in vain and also criticized the availability of fake pesticides.

A trader Qadir Bux Jamali said that factory owners were purchasing cotton for Rs3,600 to 3,700 per maund while rates have also decreased in Karachi and other towns.