The Hindu : Kerala News : Giant African snails destroying crops

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 30, 2006

Kerala

Kerala

Giant African snails destroying crops

Farmers have formed special `African snail killing squads' to eliminate the pest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Giant African snails are making farmers lives miserable in Azhiyoor village by chomping through their crops.

Farmers in Azhiyoor have formed `African snail killing squads' to protect their papaya and other crops.

Scientists say the African snail is one of the most dreaded crop-raiders in the world.

Azhiyoor panchayat president A.T. Sreedharan said volunteer squads have been formed to dig deep pits to bury the "mollusk species." Special squads have been formed for the two worst-hit Azhiyoor Chungam and Anchampeedika wards, he added.

Giving details of the operation, he said pits were being dumped with layers of snails and salt was spread on top of each layer as suggested by the Centre for Plantation Crop Research Institute and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in order to eliminate it.

He said it was not an easy job to destroy the species, which lay 100 to 200 eggs at a time. However, he said the squads made much progress by burying an estimated 70,000 snails during the last six days.

Environmental hazard

A delicacy in Africa, this rare snail, usually found in rivers, has become an environmental hazard in Azhiyoor village.

Mr Sreedharan said the snails, which move around after dusk, had destroyed many crops including banana plants and tapioca.

Unable to give a definite account about how the species landed in the village, ZSI Scientist Rajmohana, who visited the area, said the snails or its eggs probably arrived along with agricultural products imported to the area.

Mr. Sreedharan said a similar phenomenon was reported from Chittoor in Palakkad district and Koyilandi in Kozhikode a few years ago.

He said steps were being taken to give adequate compensation to farmers, whose crops were damaged. — UNI

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