ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s farmers are struggling to combat the worst locust plague in nearly three decades as insect swarms decimate entire harvests in the country’s agricultural heartlands and send food prices soaring. Heavy rains and cyclones sparked “unprecedented” breeding and the explosive growth of locust populations on the Arabian peninsula early last year, according to the United Nations. ‘COMBAT OPERATION’:Local authorities had “launched a combat operation” to clear the area of infestation with pesticide sprays, he said. Years without a locust attack meant the government “had become complacent” about the risks of a new infestation, said Pakistan Farmers Bureau president Zafar Hayyat. Though he applauded the steps being taken to fight the plague, Hayyat warned of the risk that swarms would return mid-year after the next locust breeding season.

Source: Pakistan Today March 04, 2020 08:48 UTC