Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Aug 24: The African snails, which had invaded a number of arecanut plantations in Kerala have now made their entry into arecanut plantations in Dakshina Kannada district. The farmers, who are already reeling under the burden of loans and rotting disease afflicting their crops, have been facing serious threat in the form of these snails.

In the past, these snails had been sighted at Badiyadka in Kasargod. Of late, they are seen in abundance at the base of arecanut trees of Bajathur near Uppinangady. These snails feed on areca fronds, vegetables, betel leaves etc. They endanger even paddy crops, other agriculture, vegetable gardens, coconut trees etc. These blackish brown snails proliferate very fast and eat up all kinds of vegetation in no time.

Agricultural department officials in Kasargod said that one of the best remedies for controlling these snails was to soak jute cloth in dung mixed in water and keeping them near the crops at night. These snails gather at this cloth, after which they should be burnt by starting fire. Another method is to spray saline water on these snails, so that they fall down to the ground. Once they get accumulated on the ground, they should be heaped in pits and buried under the mud after spraying lime on them.

Central Plantation Crops Institution's office at Kasargod has said that the farmers who are still not able to control these snails can contact their office for further guidance.