$1.7m Allocated for Locust Control in March 2022

Desert locusts are expected to swarm the southern provinces of Iran in late March 2022, said an official with Plant Protection Organization of Iran.
“The government has allocated 500 billion rials [$1.78 million] to battle the pest,” Saeed Moein was also quoted as saying by ILNA.
He noted that the provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr, Fars, Sistan-Baluchestan and Kerman face the threat of desert locust invasion.
“PPO has successfully contained the migratory pest over the last three years, preventing it from inflicting damage on the country’s farms, grazing fields and orchards,” he added.
The first generation of desert locusts attacked Iran about three years ago. FAO first alerted Iran about a probable locust attacks on Jan. 21, 2019.
PPO battled the pest across 750,000 hectares in the first round of attack that cost $2.74 million at the time.
Desert locust is among the most dangerous pests, as they destroy all greenery, including grains, fodder, vegetables, tree barks and even weeds, on their path. 
The pest attacked Iran’s farms in the fiscal 1963-64 and 1993-94. The former caused heavy damage to farms and agricultural production.
The pest is indigenous to Saudi Arabia, Morocco and African countries, and enters Iran by crossing the Persian Gulf.