China sends pesticide spray to combat locusts in Pakistan

Plant protection drones expected to reach Karachi in two weeks

KARACHI: The Chinese government has delivered the pesticide sprays to the government of Pakistan which it promised late last month to combat locusts in the country, which are now emerging as a threat to food security.

At a press briefing held at the end of February, Beijing had promised to provide malathion (insecticide) along with high-efficiency remote sprayers and other equipment to Pakistan in a bid to control the locusts which are affecting a huge area of land in the country. In addition to the sprays, plant protection drones, also included in the assistance package, are expected to reach the country in the next two weeks.

The first batch of assistance, which included 50,000 litres of malathion (50 tons) and 14 air-powered high-efficiency remote sprayers, arrived in Karachi on a chartered flight on Monday.

“The remaining material will be delivered to Pakistan as soon as possible,” said Li Bijian, Consul General of China in Karachi. “The drones, which are 70 in number, are being transported through sea route and will reach Karachi in two weeks.”

Last year, Pakistan faced the worst locust attack in the past 27 years, during which crop areas mainly in Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh were impacted.

Swarms of locusts caused significant damage to cotton, wheat and corn crops as well as livestock pastures, sparking concern about agriculture and food security in Pakistan.

In response to the threat, Prime Minister Imran Khan declared a state of emergency in February 2020. Earlier this year, Pakistan government approached China for assistance to contain the insects.

“Although China spared no effort to fight the novel coronavirus, it attached great importance to the request of its friend and brother Pakistan to combat locusts and took immediate action in this regard,” said the consul general.

“Many Chinese government departments have been in constant communication with Pakistan to discuss the assistance programme.”

On February 23, the Chinese government’s locust eradication working group set off for Pakistan. The working group, consisting of officials and experts from various departments, was led by Wang Fengle, chief expert at the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Centre of China.

The group undertook field inspections and exchanged views on plans to control locusts. Together with officials from Pakistan’s food ministry and three provincial plant protection departments, the delegation visited Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab in the past few days to conduct field inspections, stated the consul general. In Sindh, the working group covered more than 800 kilometres to inspect the Thar region.

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

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.