Chiang Mai — With no major outbreak reporting in Burma's cyclone hit areas, initial fears of 'second wave of death' have slowly subsided but farmers in several parts of Irrawaddy delta said they are faced with fresh threats of the crabs that are cutting of crops in their farmlands.
Farmers in cyclone-hit Ngapudaw Township in Irrawaddy Division said, fresh water crabs have emerge into the farms and are destroying the paddy crops, which they have recently completed sowing, and are causing huge loss to the farmers who are at their wits end.
The strange crabs, which enjoys the soil mixed with sea water, cuts through the paddy grown in many villages including Thingangone, Thanyinmu, Zeephyuseik, Ngakone, Konedanpotta, Khwaychaung, Kotaung villages in Ngapudaw Township, local farmers said.
An official of the Agriculture Department in Ngapudaw told Mizzima that the crabs usually go down to the rivers and creeks along with the full moon as heavy rain start pouring down in mid-July.
"But the crabs cannot go back as there has been no rain in mid-July. It stopped raining since July 12," the official said.
The crabs destroyed both the long and short stem of paddy, causing it impossible to revitalized, while a replacement seed cannot be grown, he added.
"The crabs, however, cannot destroy the paddy which has fully grown. But in this season, growing time has been delayed and some seeds failed to grow. Failure of the seeds is also a major problem," a farmer from Thingangone village told Mizzima.
The farmer said, the situation has worsened as the rain began to slow down and cannot wash away all the sea water. Besides, farmers could not control the water level in their fields by letting out water so that the crabs could not go back to the creeks.
A private donor who recently visited about 70 villages in this area and donated relief materials confirmed that a new threat of crab has emerge for farmers, who are already troubled with shortage of seeds.
"The farmers are suffering from both seed failure and the menace of the crabs. The farmers are complaining a lot. They cannot grow plant seeds again as the season is almost over. And then the young paddy plants were destroyed by crabs. I heard the farmers complaining about the problem in about 70 villages," he said.
Similarly, a farmer from Myasandi village in Kawhmu Township of Rangoon division said they are also facing the problems of seed failures and damage caused by the crabs.
"A lot of seeds provided by the authorities failed to grow here too. Some seeds were grown but the young paddy plants reddened and dried at the top and then died," he said.
He added that farmers had to plant before the crabs grow up as it is impossible to grow paddy once the crabs are grown up. They cut the young paddy plants. Their reproduction rates are fast.
There are a variety of crabs in the region namely creek crab, paddy field crab and raft-riding crabs. The farmers believe these crabs were born from the insect called 'Thaminlone' (rice).
Besides, seed failure and damage caused by crabs, the farmers badly need fertilizers in large quantities, an official of the Agriculture Department said.
The official said, the farmers in these regions could not afford to buy enough fertilizers to stop the foul smell emanating in the field and that the paddy grown in their fields cannot be healthy due to lack of sufficient fertilizers.
"The paddy yield is at a stake. I wish people would come and help them. I can't see anyone in Burma who can help them. The people of Burma will be very grateful to any person who assists the farmers here," the official added.
