Rodent infestation devastates 42 per cent of Mizoram’s crops, over 5000 farmers affected

Over 5,000 farmers in Mizoram have suffered heavy crop losses this year after a severe rodent infestation destroyed nearly 42 percent of the state’s agricultural produce, according to the Agriculture Department.

Deputy Director (Plant Protection) Lalrindiki stated that the outbreak, triggered by the gregarious flowering of a bamboo species Bambusa tulda — locally known as Thingtam — has devastated over 1,700 hectares of farmland across 180 villages in all 11 districts of the state. A total of 5,317 farmers have been affected.

While mass poisoning campaigns and preventive measures have helped contain the spread, Lalrindiki added that the rodent population has only begun to decline with the completion of the harvest season.

Among the worst-affected areas, Mamit district, which borders Bangladesh and Tripura, recorded losses of around 60 percent, impacting 2,009 families. In southern Mizoram’s Lunglei district, 1,071 farmers suffered similar damage, losing over 60 percent of their yield.


In Hnahthial district, although fewer farmers were impacted, crop destruction was the highest with 82.9 percent losses reported in 110 farms.

The flowering of Thingtam typically occurs once every 48 years, leading to an explosion in the rodent population due to abundant bamboo seeds. The phenomenon was first reported in Mamit in February 2024. Officials stated that rats have mainly ravaged paddy fields but also targeted maize, sugarcane, ginger, pumpkin, eggplant and sesame plantations.

With nearly 70 percent of Mizoram’s population dependent on agriculture, the rodent outbreak has raised fresh concerns over food security in the predominantly agrarian state.
Traditional jhum cultivation practices—which produce lower yields—are still widely prevalent, though government efforts continue to shift farmers toward more sustainable horticulture and plantation-based farming.