DUHOK, Kurdistan Region - Farmers in Duhok’s Bardarash district are fed up with mice and rats that feed on their wheat farms.
The rodents often hide in holes they have created on the farms, emerging at night to feed on the wheat.
Different methods are used to get rid of the rodents, the most effective of them is using pest control equipment and poisons.
Faris Mohammed, a farmer from the village of Doleja, has dedicated 100 dunams of land to wheat cultivation. However, he is worried that rats and mice may destroy the crop before it ripens in the spring.
"The mice have destroyed 50 percent of the wheat. If they are terminated before harvesting season, the loss will be 100 percent. The solution is to bring workers and use medicine but it costs a lot, 150,000-200,000 dinars," Mohammed told Rudaw.
Mice and rats have also invaded many farms in areas like Akre and Sheikhan. The rodents have established extensive networks of underground holes. Farmers have killed many of them by using effective termination methods.
The local authorities have not provided support to farmers to end the issue.
"We as the general directorate of agriculture have sent a letter to the ministry of agriculture requesting 100 million dinars for extermination means to be distributed on farmers," Ahmed Jamil, head of the general directorate of agriculture in Duhok, said, adding that they have yet to receive a response from the ministry.