Mangmaya (Takdha), Nov. 22: The fruit fly invasion could not have come at a worse time for orange cultivators in the Takdah belt.

It?s plucking season, but most of the ripe fruit is rotting on the orchard floor, a sure sign of pest attack. Fruit flies attack only ready-to pluck oranges and cultivators are clueless about how to control the menace.

Oranges are primarily grown in Soreng, Chekra, Chotta Mangmaya, Bara Mangmaya and Takling villages of this block, which produce around 30 lakh oranges annually. The belt has, however, lost half its produce to the fruit fly attack.

?This is not the first time that the pests have struck, but never before has the damage been so great,? said Vim Bahadur Chhetri, a cultivator.

Orange cultivation is a major source of revenue for this region, and the malaise does not bode well for the cultivators.

?The mahajans (traders) do not give us advance for any product other than oranges. What we make at this time of year, is used to sustain ourselves throughout the rest. that is why we are so worried,? said Sen Tshering Lepcha, another cultivator.

The villagers get between Rs 60 and Rs 75 for 100 oranges, depending on the size and quality of the product.

Though the rates have not gone down this year, the loss is a cause of concern for these villagers.

?The plucking season starts from November end and continues till December, but we have already lost so much of the fruit, it is unlikely we will earn much,? said Chhetri.

Administrative officials, however, have not been informed of the pest attack. ?These farmers have to pay for the pesticides and, more importantly, they do not want to use pesticides,? said TN Ghisingh, DGHC area councillor.

Sukanto Achraya, the block development officer said he was not aware of the problem. ?I will visit the area and look into the matter.?

Kishore Thapa, the scientist in charge of the citrus research centre in Kalimpong, said the situation was not alarming. ?We had conducted a training programme for the cultivators in Takling. We have just set up the research area and plan to reach out to every village,? he said.