'Sena' caterpillar continues to wreak havoc in the country

COLOMBO (News 1st): While COVID-19 continues to grip the nation, the Sena caterpillar menace which poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of farming communities still prevails in the country. Maize farmers in Pannalgama, Ampara are facing severe difficulties due to this menace at present.  Although nearly 1,500 acres of maize has been cultivated by those in Pannalgama, their hope of reaping a healthy harvest is slim. Farmers lament, the Sena caterpillars evolve into moths and lay eggs on crops when the effects of pesticides wear off. The Sena caterpillar wreaked havoc in a similar fashion in the years of 2018 and 2019 and most farmers whose cultivations were destroyed due to the caterpillar have not been compensated to date. By today, those farmers face a severe debt crisis but remain hopeful of better days to come.