News
Birds come for the paddy
View(s):Pix and text by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
An influx of small birds into the paddy fields in Aanthikulama in the Ananmaduwa area is causing massive damage to their paddy crop, farmers in the area said.
They say much of their time is spent chasing away the birds in a bid to safeguard the tender paddy sheaf of their maha season crop.
The farmers say that they leave home before sunrise and stay on till around 9 am and return home and once again go back around 3 p.m. and stay on till sunset so as to chase away the birds that come to feast on their paddy fields.
They say that in addition to the destruction caused by wild elephants, monkeys, peafowl, wild boar, porcupines and other pests, birds too are causing immense destruction to their crops.
Around 110 acres of land is under cultivation in the area around the Aathikulama villages which are fed by waters from the Siyambala wewa, Devala wewa, and Goma Wewa and Tharanagaha wewa.
The farmers say they use firecrackers, air rifles to chase off the birds while more traditional forms of deterring them are also used such as making loud sounds by hanging steel sheets and hitting them with sticks.
Chaminda Rajapaksa, a farmer in Aathikulama said they are suffering a great deal as they’re unable to reap the harvest due to the destruction by birds and wild animals.
“This year we have had thousands of birds descend on our paddy fields and eat the tender sheaf,” he said.
He said that the process of safeguarding their fields was both expensive and physically tiresome.
He said entire families are taking turns to keep the crop safe.
Kapuru Manika, another farmer, said they have been traumatized by the losses caused by the birds.
“Sometimes for a day we use more than a packet of fire crackers. It is costly and tiresome,” she said.
R H M Indrani said they are fed up with farming due to the destruction being caused to their crop. “The birds have become a major problem for us,” she said.
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