Pakistan Locusts Will Threaten Cotton And Sesame Crops.

Pakistan's Punjab government says Pakistan is facing locusts. If it is not controlled in locust breeding areas, the whole country is facing a serious threat of locusts. About 300 thousand square kilometres of the country's total area of 37% is vulnerable to desert locust attacks. 60% of the land is in Baluchistan, 25% in Sindh and 15% in Cholistan, Punjab.

According to a report submitted by the Punjab provincial government to the Supreme Court, Baluchistan is located in the so-called spring breeding area, while Punjab and Sindh provinces are located in the summer breeding area. Punjab emphasized the need to deploy the largest resources in the summer breeding area of the country. So far, the threat of locusts is limited to the Cholistan region, but now the central and northern regions have also become a threat target due to climate change and a large number of egg laying.

The report shows that the recent wave of locust plagues has affected forest plants, such as sarin, gill, Bill, and feed, newly sprouting cotton, corn leaves and citrus. It is understood that 15 crops affected by desert locust have been observed. The damaged crops cover 715 acres, including cotton and sesame seeds.

According to the report, it is urgent to arrange 50 micron sprayers, 5 aircraft and 50 entomologist services to support surveillance and combat operations in Punjab. But the most immediate challenge for the next few weeks is the existence of locusts in Sindh, khyuto, and Baluchistan provinces.