Now, Brazil & Argentina raise locust alarm amid COVID-19 pandemic

<p>Centre's Locust Warning Organization will press into service 25 drones and buy 60 more vehicle-mounted insecticide spraying machines to counter the attack of locust swarms in the near future, an official said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Authorities are worried that millions of locusts may enter India along with monsoon winds from the Arabian Sea to destroy Kharif crops.</p>

<p>"The locust swarms may attack in late June and early July. There is every possibility that locust swarms will come towards India from African countries along with monsoon winds rising from the Arabian Sea," K L Gurjar, Deputy Director of the Faridabad-based Locust Warning Organisation (LWO), told PTI.</p>

<p>He said the summer and rainy weather is favourable for locusts and they move from one place to another during this time, travelling 150 km in a day.</p>

<p>India faced a locust attack last month and the swarms reached Jaipur for the first time.</p>

<p>Swarms of locusts travelled through several areas of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh amid their worst invasion in years.</p>

<p>The swarms entered Rajasthan in April from Pakistan and then spread to areas across the western states, helped by strong winds.</p>

<p>Gurjar said the LWO is making full preparations at its level.</p>

<p>For the first time, a team of 25 drones is being prepared to fight the locust swarm, which will be ready in a day or two.</p>

<p>It will be used for spraying insecticides.</p>

<p>Apart from this, the organization will get 60 more vehicle-mounted sprayers by the end of this month.</p>

<p>State Agriculture Commissioner Dr Omprakash told PTI that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is predicting that grasshoppers will come so "we have made full preparations".</p>

<p>Around 800 tractor-mounted sprayers were already being used, and now the district collectors have been authorized to take into service more such vehicles as per the requirement.</p>

<p>He said there is no dearth of resources to counter-attack locust swarms.</p>

<p>The state government has already given about Rs 6.5 crore to the districts.</p>

<p>The department has asked for around Rs 4 crore additionally.</p>

<p>The government has decided to purchase 100 fire fighting vehicles from the Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), which can also be used for locust control.</p>

<p>In a meeting with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recently, State Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria said a large number of locust swarms could come to Rajasthan in the coming days.</p>

<p>He said swarms are breeding in African countries.</p>

<p>A large number of these swarms are expected to reach Rajasthan.</p>

<p>In such a situation, a district-wise strategy will have to be made to deal with them, Kataria said.</p>


Centre's Locust Warning Organization will press into service 25 drones and buy 60 more vehicle-mounted insecticide spraying machines to counter the attack of locust swarms in the near future, an official said on Tuesday.

Centre's Locust Warning Organization will press into service 25 drones and buy 60 more vehicle-mounted insecticide spraying machines to counter the attack of locust swarms in the near future, an official said on Tuesday. Authorities are worried that millions of locusts may enter India along with monsoon winds from the Arabian Sea to destroy Kharif crops. "The locust swarms may attack in late June and early July. There is every possibility that locust swarms will come towards India from African countries along with monsoon winds rising from the Arabian Sea," K L Gurjar, Deputy Director of the Faridabad-based Locust Warning Organisation (LWO), told PTI. He said the summer and rainy weather is favourable for locusts and they move from one place to another during this time, travelling 150 km in a day. India faced a locust attack last month and the swarms reached Jaipur for the first time. Swarms of locusts travelled through several areas of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh amid their worst invasion in years. The swarms entered Rajasthan in April from Pakistan and then spread to areas across the western states, helped by strong winds. Gurjar said the LWO is making full preparations at its level. For the first time, a team of 25 drones is being prepared to fight the locust swarm, which will be ready in a day or two. It will be used for spraying insecticides. Apart from this, the organization will get 60 more vehicle-mounted sprayers by the end of this month. State Agriculture Commissioner Dr Omprakash told PTI that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is predicting that grasshoppers will come so "we have made full preparations". Around 800 tractor-mounted sprayers were already being used, and now the district collectors have been authorized to take into service more such vehicles as per the requirement. He said there is no dearth of resources to counter-attack locust swarms. The state government has already given about Rs 6.5 crore to the districts. The department has asked for around Rs 4 crore additionally. The government has decided to purchase 100 fire fighting vehicles from the Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), which can also be used for locust control. In a meeting with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recently, State Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria said a large number of locust swarms could come to Rajasthan in the coming days. He said swarms are breeding in African countries. A large number of these swarms are expected to reach Rajasthan. In such a situation, a district-wise strategy will have to be made to deal with them, Kataria said.

Another locust attack likely in a few weeks: Officials

<p>Pakistan is yet to respond to New Delhi's suggestion on jointly dealing with the locust crisis. This comes even as Islamabad has claimed that it cooperating with regional countries including India to deal with the crisis that can majorly impact the food security in the region.</p>

<p>Indian Government sources told WION, "we have not heard anything to our proposal for coordinated locust control operations along the border and even to facilitate supply of pesticide."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pak-deploys-thousands-of-army-troops-to-battle-locust-invasion-303936"><strong>Also watch:&nbsp;Pak deploys thousands of army troops to battle locust invasion</strong></a></p>

<p>Earlier today, Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Aisha Farooqui, in response to the question Indian offer to jointly deal with locust crisis said India is "cooperating with all regional countries to fight desert locust invasion under a forum administered by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)...SWAC - Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in Southwest Asia"</p>

<p>Adding, "Pakistan remains committed to cooperating with all SWAC member states, including India, in combating Desert Locust outbreak" and "The cooperation is “fruitful” in exchanging information in the bordering areas of Pakistan and India."</p>

<p>Sources reacting to it said, "Seems it is usual issue of saying something and do something else. They remain reticent. Seems they want to underplay the problem that is there in Pakistan."</p>

<p>India and Iran are already cooperating to deal with the crisis with New Delhi supplying with pesticide. The 2019–20 locust infestation has impacted more than 10 countries in Africa and South Asia and Iran, India and Pakistan are currently affected by the crisis.</p>


Pakistan is yet to respond to New Delhi's suggestion on jointly dealing with the locust crisis. This comes even as Islamabad has claimed that it cooperating with regional countries including India to deal with the crisis that can majorly impact the food security in the region.

Pakistan is yet to respond to New Delhi's suggestion on jointly dealing with the locust crisis. This comes even as Islamabad has claimed that it cooperating with regional countries including India to deal with the crisis that can majorly impact the food security in the region. Indian Government sources told WION, "we have not heard anything to our proposal for coordinated locust control operations along the border and even to facilitate supply of pesticide." Also watch: Pak deploys thousands of army troops to battle locust invasion Earlier today, Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Aisha Farooqui, in response to the question Indian offer to jointly deal with locust crisis said India is "cooperating with all regional countries to fight desert locust invasion under a forum administered by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)...SWAC - Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in Southwest Asia" Adding, "Pakistan remains committed to cooperating with all SWAC member states, including India, in combating Desert Locust outbreak" and "The cooperation is “fruitful” in exchanging information in the bordering areas of Pakistan and India." Sources reacting to it said, "Seems it is usual issue of saying something and do something else. They remain reticent. Seems they want to underplay the problem that is there in Pakistan." India and Iran are already cooperating to deal with the crisis with New Delhi supplying with pesticide. The 2019–20 locust infestation has impacted more than 10 countries in Africa and South Asia and Iran, India and Pakistan are currently affected by the crisis.

Pakistan yet to respond on Indian suggestion on jointly dealing with locust crisis

<p>After the coronavirus pandemic, India is braced for another&nbsp;unwelcome guest&nbsp;in the form of the world's&nbsp;most dangerous migratory pests -&nbsp;locusts.</p>

<p>Large swarms of parasitic bugs entered the country via Pakistan in April and have been feeding on&nbsp;crops, pasture, and fodder. It is the worst locust attack on India in 26 years.</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/now-new-challenge-facing-south-asia-in-form-of-locusts-300379">Now, new challenge facing South Asia in form of locusts</a></p>

<p>The locusts&nbsp;spread from the horn of Africa to Yemen, then flew to Iran before attacking hectares of cotton fields in Pakistan. The pests have now attacked in India.</p>

<p>A single swarm can cover one square kilometer and can&nbsp;ravage crops meant for over 35,000 people with over 80 to 150 million locusts.</p>

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<p>They possess the ability to breed phenomenally and have a long flying range.&nbsp;In a single day, they cover about 150 kilometers. These&nbsp;pests have been giving farmers sleepless nights since winters.</p>

<p>Over the past year, most of the farmlands affected by locusts have lost over one-third of their crops.&nbsp;They usually&nbsp;come to India around June to feed on summer crops but this year&nbsp;they landed in April.</p>

<p>It has jeopardised&nbsp;the agriculture-based economies of several states and there is no quick-fix solution to the&nbsp;pest menace.</p>

<p>Truck loads of pesticides are being sent to different parts of the country but&nbsp;the&nbsp;pests can only be destroyed at night when they settle on the trees.</p>

<p>Even drones are being used to counter this problem but unfortunately it is much bigger due to&nbsp;global warming. The higher temperature even in winter is perfect for locusts to breed.</p>

<p>They have journeyed the world from Africa to West Asia to South Asia.</p>

<p>Locusts arrived in Pakistan from Iran in June 2019 where they devoured the summer crops including cotton, wheat and maize.&nbsp;Although the invasion was expected to subside but it did not. The locusts stayed&nbsp;and spread.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some of the poorest countries in the world are the worst-affected.&nbsp;Locusts have threatened food security and livelihoods in East and West Africa, South and West Asia, and India.</p>

<p>India is coordinating a joint-effort with Iran and Pakistan to stop the emergence of fresh swarms of locusts.</p>

<p>For India, this is a national calamity.&nbsp;In the past, locusts have caused plagues in the country. But, India has not witnessed any full-blown locust cycles after 1962.&nbsp;The&nbsp;problem&nbsp;cannot be swatted away easily and requires a sustained response&nbsp;like the COVID-19 virus.&nbsp;</p>


After the coronavirus pandemic, India is braced for another unwelcome guest in the form of the world's most dangerous migratory pests - locusts. Large swarms of parasitic bugs entered the country via Pakistan in April and have been feeding on crops, pasture, and fodder.

After the coronavirus pandemic, India is braced for another unwelcome guest in the form of the world's most dangerous migratory pests - locusts. Large swarms of parasitic bugs entered the country via Pakistan in April and have been feeding on crops, pasture, and fodder. It is the worst locust attack on India in 26 years. Also read: Now, new challenge facing South Asia in form of locusts The locusts spread from the horn of Africa to Yemen, then flew to Iran before attacking hectares of cotton fields in Pakistan. The pests have now attacked in India. A single swarm can cover one square kilometer and can ravage crops meant for over 35,000 people with over 80 to 150 million locusts. × They possess the ability to breed phenomenally and have a long flying range. In a single day, they cover about 150 kilometers. These pests have been giving farmers sleepless nights since winters. Over the past year, most of the farmlands affected by locusts have lost over one-third of their crops. They usually come to India around June to feed on summer crops but this year they landed in April. It has jeopardised the agriculture-based economies of several states and there is no quick-fix solution to the pest menace. Truck loads of pesticides are being sent to different parts of the country but the pests can only be destroyed at night when they settle on the trees. Even drones are being used to counter this problem but unfortunately it is much bigger due to global warming. The higher temperature even in winter is perfect for locusts to breed. They have journeyed the world from Africa to West Asia to South Asia. Locusts arrived in Pakistan from Iran in June 2019 where they devoured the summer crops including cotton, wheat and maize. Although the invasion was expected to subside but it did not. The locusts stayed and spread. Some of the poorest countries in the world are the worst-affected. Locusts have threatened food security and livelihoods in East and West Africa, South and West Asia, and India. India is coordinating a joint-effort with Iran and Pakistan to stop the emergence of fresh swarms of locusts. For India, this is a national calamity. In the past, locusts have caused plagues in the country. But, India has not witnessed any full-blown locust cycles after 1962. The problem cannot be swatted away easily and requires a sustained response like the COVID-19 virus.

Now, Locusts attack India's agriculture amid coronavirus pandemic

<p>As if the ongoing Covid-19 wasn't bad enough nature is unleashing its fury in several ways. Swarms of locusts have descended over parts of northwest and central India, threatening standing crops, even as farmers continue to face the impact of the national lockdown in place to contain the spread of coronavirus.</p>

<p>On Monday, Huge swarms of locusts entered Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur as the pests spread to wider parts of Rajasthan along with Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Madhya Pradesh: Swarms of locusts seen at a village in Chhatarpur district. <a href="https://t.co/jcfnlGTuR2">pic.twitter.com/jcfnlGTuR2</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1264850304517804033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LocustAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LocustAttack</a> In <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/banda?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#banda</a> At <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPGovt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPGovt</a> <a href="https://t.co/ud5AyUg2dZ">pic.twitter.com/ud5AyUg2dZ</a></p>
— narender Prajapati (@narenderpraja) <a href="https://twitter.com/narenderpraja/status/1264506315721904129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>In Rajasthan, the menace has now engulfed 18 districts, while in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the locust spread has widened even as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned of several attacks at least until early July.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">2020, what's more to see? 😭😭😭😱😱😱<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LocustAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LocustAttack</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jaipur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jaipur</a> <a href="https://t.co/mkRfm4WSbH">pic.twitter.com/mkRfm4WSbH</a></p>
— Rupali (@KrazyGal92) <a href="https://twitter.com/KrazyGal92/status/1264861374850596871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p><img alt="swarms of locusts" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8dd9a7d-dad9-4f02-aefb-802f3edf0195" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2812%29_16.jpg" /></p>

<p><em>Swarms of locust in the walled city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, Monday, May 25, 2020. (PTI Photo)</em><br />
<br />
Authorities have started spraying chemicals on crops and plants where the insects have been located. Central agencies in this field had alerted the farmers about the locust attack and necessary information had been passed on to villagers as well.</p>

<p>According to the experts, a swarm does not travel in the night. The migratory pests travel during the day time and fly as per the wind direction.</p>

<p>India has witnessed several locust plagues and upsurges from 1812 to 1997, but there has not been any major locust upsurge since 2011. The insects are known to originate in Arabian Peninsula and invade India via Rajasthan-Pakistan border, just before the onset of the seasonal monsoon.</p>

<p>There is consensus that the desert locust could pose a grave challenge in 2020. Thousands of acres of crops could be destroyed by locusts and at a time when the global economy is struggling to recover after the COVID-19 crisis, this is the last problem that the region needs to deal with.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


As if the ongoing Covid-19 wasn't bad enough nature is unleashing its fury in several ways. Swarms of locusts have descended over parts of northwest and central India, threatening standing crops, even as farmers continue to face the impact of the national lockdown in place to contain the spread of coronavirus.

As if the ongoing Covid-19 wasn't bad enough nature is unleashing its fury in several ways. Swarms of locusts have descended over parts of northwest and central India, threatening standing crops, even as farmers continue to face the impact of the national lockdown in place to contain the spread of coronavirus. On Monday, Huge swarms of locusts entered Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur as the pests spread to wider parts of Rajasthan along with Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. #WATCH Madhya Pradesh: Swarms of locusts seen at a village in Chhatarpur district. pic.twitter.com/jcfnlGTuR2 — ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2020 × #LocustAttack In #banda At #UPGovt pic.twitter.com/ud5AyUg2dZ — narender Prajapati (@narenderpraja) May 24, 2020 × In Rajasthan, the menace has now engulfed 18 districts, while in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the locust spread has widened even as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned of several attacks at least until early July. 2020, what's more to see? 😭😭😭😱😱😱#LocustAttack #Jaipur pic.twitter.com/mkRfm4WSbH — Rupali (@KrazyGal92) May 25, 2020 × Swarms of locust in the walled city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, Monday, May 25, 2020. (PTI Photo) Authorities have started spraying chemicals on crops and plants where the insects have been located. Central agencies in this field had alerted the farmers about the locust attack and necessary information had been passed on to villagers as well. According to the experts, a swarm does not travel in the night. The migratory pests travel during the day time and fly as per the wind direction. India has witnessed several locust plagues and upsurges from 1812 to 1997, but there has not been any major locust upsurge since 2011. The insects are known to originate in Arabian Peninsula and invade India via Rajasthan-Pakistan border, just before the onset of the seasonal monsoon. There is consensus that the desert locust could pose a grave challenge in 2020. Thousands of acres of crops could be destroyed by locusts and at a time when the global economy is struggling to recover after the COVID-19 crisis, this is the last problem that the region needs to deal with. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: India suffers worst locust swarm attack in decades; alert in Delhi

India is preparing to battle a locust influx which has invaded Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh also warned against the locust infestation. Watch this video to know more.

India prepares to battle locust influx, invades Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh