Monkey menace leaves farmers struggling to protect paddy crops

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 Farmers in the Bamcherra area under Jolaibari Assembly constituency in South Tripura’s Santirbazar sub-division are facing growing difficulties in protecting their paddy crops from monkeys, raising concerns over agricultural losses and rural livelihoods.

Agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for a large section of the population in the Jolaibari constituency. While the state government has been making efforts to increase farmers’ income, local cultivators allege that the persistent menace of monkeys is preventing them from bringing home their harvested produce without losses.

According to farmers, the problem becomes particularly acute during the paddy cultivation season, when monkeys frequently enter agricultural fields and damage crops. Their troubles begin after the paddy grains emerge from the stalks and continue until the crops mature. 

As a result, even when cultivation yields a satisfactory harvest, farmers struggle to secure the produce due to repeated attacks by monkeys.

The affected farmers have also expressed dissatisfaction over the alleged lack of effective intervention, claiming that no concrete measures have been taken to address their concerns despite the issue being brought to the attention of local public representatives.

The cultivators are now urging the officials of the Bagma Forest Range to take appropriate steps to control the menace and protect agricultural land from recurring damage. They fear that if the situation continues, farmers may eventually be forced to abandon paddy cultivation because of the persistent losses and the difficulties involved in safeguarding their crops.

Farmers warn that the consequences could extend beyond the agricultural community. A decline in local foodgrain production could increase dependence on supplies from outside the state, potentially pushing up prices and placing an additional financial burden on consumers.

With agriculture playing a vital role in sustaining rural households, the affected farmers believe that timely intervention by the forest authorities is necessary to protect their livelihoods and ensure the continuity of cultivation in the area.

They have appealed to the concerned authorities to take effective measures to address the monkey menace before the situation further affects agricultural production and the economic well-being of local residents.

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