Albufera rice farmers face 34% losses from cucat pest

The Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-Asaja) has reported significant losses in the rice fields of Albufera due to the 'cucat' pest. Technical inspections in Cullera revealed that up to 34% of production in some areas has been lost. In a sample of 120 rice spikes per square meter, 41 were found to be affected, representing a loss of approximately 260 kilos of rice per hanegada.

AVA-Asaja is demanding an urgent investigation from the Conselleria de Agricultura to determine why current treatments have failed and is calling for economic compensation for affected producers. The pest control method involves using pheromone confusion rods, with a recommended placement of 10 rods per hectare. Experts are currently analyzing whether the failure is due to ineffective pheromone emission or improper distribution and placement of the rods in the fields.