The fight against the desert locust, the swarms of which pest were first spotted in Iran’s southern provinces on Feb. 19, has increased to 30,700 hectares so far, according to the head of the Plant Protection Organization of Iran.
“We had a video conference regarding the matter with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust and officials from neighboring countries on Thursday. Given FAO’s reports that this year’s attacks by swarms of desert locust in the region will be more challenging compared with last year, it is necessary that our neighbors also embark on a full-scale battle against the pest for the fight to be effective,” Mohammad Reza Dargahi was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
PPO Spokesman Mohammad Reza Mir said the desert locust has swept across the southern provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr, Khuzestan, Fars and Sistan-Baluchestan.
“Other provinces at a high risk of being infected are Kerman, Ilam, Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad and South Khorasan. If the pest also enters the country from Afghanistan, then Khorasan Razavi will probably get infected, too.”
Mir noted that pesticide reserves in the country are adequate to meet two years of domestic demand and there is no shortage of the product.
The government has so far allocated 200 billion rials ($1.3 million) to fight the desert locust.
Mir said a total budget of $5.4 million is needed to fight the pest this year.
The first generation of desert locusts attacked Iran about a year ago. FAO alerted Iran of probable locust attacks on Jan. 21, IRNA reported.
The Plant Protection Organization of Iran battled the pest across 750,000 hectares in the previous round of attack. The figure is expected to reach 1 million hectares this year.
The desert locust is among the most dangerous pests that can destroy all greenery, including grains, fodder, vegetables, tree barks and even weeds on their path.
The pest has attacked Iran’s farms in the fiscal 1963-64 and 1993-94. The former caused heavy damage to the country’s farms and agricultural production.
The migratory pest is indigenous to Saudi Arabia, Morocco and African countries, and enters Iran by crossing the Persian Gulf.
