According to a farmer from Thantlang Township of the Indo-Burma region, all the crops growing in the paddy fields were eaten up by grasshoppers, and the crops could not be saved.
"Especially the paddy crop was spoilt. Flocks of grasshoppers entered the fields and destroyed all the crops, not only the fruits, but also the leaves and trees," a local person said.
He also said that the Agriculture Department had been informed and the farmers had asked for insecticides to kill the grasshoppers and other insects. However, the concerned authorities have not done anything yet to tackle the grasshopper menace.
"We sent word to the township agriculture department office and explained about the problem we were facing and made a request for insecticides. But, nothing has been done yet. As a result, all our crops are being destroyed and we do not know what to do as the cultivation season for new crops is also over," he added.
The Chin people have been facing shortage of food, for a couple of years, due to destruction of crops by rats.
"Rats had eaten up and destroyed the paddy, maize and others crops and people were suffering from shortage of food. Now grasshoppers have destroyed the crops again and the people in the region are concerned about their survival," a member of the Mautam Relief Program based in Thantlang Town of Chin State said.
A similar thing had also happened in Matupi Township of Chin State, according to a trader.
"Grasshoppers fly from one place to another not only in the paddy fields, but also thrive on big trees such as banana tree, mango tree and eat the leaves," he said.
Earlier, crops had never been destroyed by grasshoppers. This occurrence will only escalate the suffering of the people, who have been hit hard in the past due to severe famines.
There are 6,49,904 acres of arable fields in Thantlang Township and the local people grow paddy and maize as their staple food.
Currently, Chin people are getting food and other malnutrition assistance through various foreign NGOs and some individuals.
