Locusts continue to damage crops in Sahiwal

Crops of potatoes, peas, mustard, wheat and mango have been attacked

SAHIWAL: Locust attacks have continued for 20 days in Sahiwal and adjoining areas, causing damage to crops in the district.

Reportedly, the district administration has come into action after 20 days as the farmers demanded an emergency aerial and on land spray against locusts on an immediate basis. Agriculture department teams have begun spray in the affected areas. Currently, the crops of potatoes, peas, mustard and wheat have been harvested in Sahiwal.

Locusts have been attacking the crops and mango orchards on a daily basis.

Deputy Commissioner Zeeshan Javed has ordered the agriculture department to purchase 10 spray machines and pesticides. He also directed the staff to spray the affected fields on a daily basis so that the crops can be saved from damage.

Speaking to The Express Tribune on how to save the trees from damage, Agriculture Director Farooq Javed said that after the DC ordered, the machines and pesticides have been purchased and spray has started in the affected areas. “The locusts are present in different areas of Sahiwal and will be removed from there in the next few days,” he said.

Moreover, a landowner of Chak 133/9-L, Qamar Zaman, said that locusts had been attacking his area daily and most of the crops had been damaged. “Now after 20 days, the district administration has started spraying the affected areas, due to which a decrease in locust attacks has been observed,” said the landowner. He maintained that with land spray, aerial spray should also be arranged in the area so that the locusts can be removed as soon as possible and the crops suffer minimum damage.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2020.