Islamabad, December 05, 2019 (PPI-OT): Desert Locust Surveillance and Control activities have been successfully continued in desert areas of Balochistan, Tharparkar, Nara and Cholistan since its entry from Iran in March 2019via coastal areas of Balochistan by Federal Plant Protection Department, (DPP) in collaboration with FAO, provincial agricultural departments, district administration, and association. The control teams have surveyed around 659,320 hectares so far and controlled an area of 161,625 hectares out of which 6,200 hectares have been treated by aerial means by spraying 121,565 liters of pesticides.
The instant Desert Locust activity observed in Sindh is in fact migration from Summer-Moonsoon breeding zone towards Coastal areas of Balochistan (the Winter-Spring Breeding Zone). Desert Locust flies during daytime and settle during night. Such migrations are usually not in search of food. The DPP has closely monitoring the situation.
An emergency meeting was held today in Chief Minister House, Sindh where the Syed Murad Ali Shah, the Chief Minister Sindh was briefed about the existing desert locust upsurge. Subsequently, the Chief Minister Sindh and Mr. Makhdum Khurso Bakhtiar, the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research discussed the locust issue in detail and assured Federal Government full cooperation in locust control.
The Federal Minister also discussed the locust issue with Governor Sindh. The Federal Minister, advised the Federal Plant Protection Department (DPP) and Provincial Agriculture Department to further invigorate the Desert Locust control activities by deploying three Aircrafts in Sindh region to safeguard the growers and the country from economic and food security related losses. The CM Sindh has promised to contribute 10 Million Pak Rupees for procurement of Pesticides and Aviation fuel to overcome the existing locust emergency situation.
For more information, contact:
Ministry of National Food Security and Research
Government of Pakistan
Fax: +92-9210088
Website: http://www.mnfsr.gov.pk/