Sugarcane farmers in Bara and Parsa saw their incomes drop drastically last year, due to red rot fungus, the most destructive disease to sugarcane.

The fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum falcatum Went affects every portion of the plant above the ground. When the affected cane is split open, the inner region is reddish in colour with intermittent white traces across the cane length.

The infection can reduce the sugarcane's weight significantly and result in poor-quality cane. As much as one-fourth of sucrose is reduced in a diseased cane compared to a healthy cane.

Prithivi Sah, a farmer in Kalikamai Rural Municipality-5 had planted sugarcane on nearly a hectare of land last year. His new crop too has been infected by the disease.

“The saplings have started drying in the field,” said Sah. “I don’t think I will be able to recover even a quarter of my investment.”

According to Sah, the Co 0238, a high-yielding variety was recommended by Reliance Sugar Mill in Bara last year.

“We planted the same variety following the recommendation of the sugar mill,” said Sah, who is also the secretary of an ad-hoc committee formed to exert pressure on the mill.

The Farmers Rights Struggle Committee has been demanding that the factory compensate the farmer.

Many farmers are rushing for an early harvest to prevent the crop from infection. They mostly sell them on credit at prices offered by the mills.

As the government has not yet decided on the minimum support price for sugarcane for this season, farmers have been compelled to sell their produce on credit.

The mills are giving farmers a price of Rs590 per quintal, which is last season’s minimum support price, according to the farmers.

Saharum Raut Gaddi, the president of the struggle committee, said that the red rot has affected crops in the bordering districts as well.

The disease affects every portion of the plant above the ground, said Sah. The leaves wither gradually downwards with the progress of the disease.

The damaged leaf is often the third or fourth leaf from the top, and eventually the entire crown declines and wilts.

The fungus that causes the disease is spread by wind, rain, and insects. The disease can persist from one year to the next in the soil if the leaves are decomposed.

There are no authorities to inform the farmers about preventive measures.

“None of the stakeholders are willing to listen to the farmer’s issues,” added Gaddi. “The agriculture knowledge centre in Parsa also doesn't have adequate manpower.”

According to Suresh Chaurasiya, the crop development officer at the centre, farmers have planted sugarcane on 2,950 hectares in the Parsa district.

Birendra Kushwaha, president of the Sugarcane Farmers Association, Bara said that farmers in Bara have also planted the same variety following the recommendation by Reliance Sugar Mill.

“We demanded compensation for our loss. They have refused,” said Kushwaha.

Sugarcane is cultivated on around 1,900 hectares in Bara.

According to farmers, as Reliance Sugar Mill has plenty of sugarcane this crushing season, it is least bothered to compensate the farmers for their loss.

Most of the farmers from Rautahat supplied cane to Reliance Sugar Mill after the closure of Baba Baijunath Sugar Mill in Rautahat.

Rajkumar Agarwal, the manager of the Reliance Sugar Mill refused to comment on the issue.