Locusts Threaten $9b Worth of Iran’s Agricultural Products

Locust swarms threaten 1.25 quadrillion rials ($9 billion) worth of agricultural products across six provinces in southern Iran, the head of Plant Protection Organization affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture said.
Stressing that no damage has been caused yet, Mohammad Reza Dargahi added that about 21% of farms and orchards, producing 36% of agro products, 38% of forests and 21% of pastures are located in the six affected provinces, namely Hormozgan, Bushehr, Khuzestan, Sistan-Baluchestan, Kerman and Fars.
The official noted that locusts have invaded 200,000 hectares in the south and PPO has fought the pest on 51,000 hectares so far.
“Our estimates say we need to battle the pest on 400,000 hectares by the end of the fourth Iranian month [July 22],” he said.
Dargahi said locusts were first spotted in Hormozgan Province’s Bandar Lengeh on Jan. 4.