Disease stalks Yongchak trees at Kamjong village
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 26 2022:
An unknown disease/insect has 'killed' almost all the Yongchak trees (Parkia speciosa) at Ningchou village and Kangpat Khunou in Kamjong district.
Ningchou village is about 20 kilometers from Kamjong district headquarters while Kangpat Khunou is at a distance of 33 kilometers.
While the Yongchak trees are dead, the villagers are also witnessing a sharp decline in the yield of oranges this season.
The villagers said almost all of the Yongchak trees are left without any leaves.
Suspecting it to be caused by an unknown insect or some kind of a disease, they said all that is left of the trees are the trunks and empty branches.
The villagers said this is the first time they are facing such a situation.
While the Yongchak trees in places other than the two villages have not been affected, the yield however is very low, they said.
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In the previous year, a Yongchak tree was sold for a season as high as Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000, they said.
Meanwhile, at Kangpat Khunou, the orange orchards have been affected by a disease.
Suspecting it to be a fungal disease, the villagers said the yield this season has declined and orange fruits are being affected by the disease.
During the Christmas season, it was a joy for people to watch bunches of oranges hanging from trees from the road.
However, this season, the orange yield has declined.
As both the Yongchak and orange farms have been affected this season, people of the region may face a serious economic problem, the villagers said.
Amid all these, the two villages are also lacking in health care.
With no primary health centre, the villagers are facing problems in cases of emergencies.
The villagers have urged the Government and departments concerned to visit the villages and inspect the Yongchak and orange trees.