Locust swarms attack crops in Maha, other states

An invasion by swarms of desert locusts has devastated crops in India's heartland, threatening an already vulnerable region that is struggling with the economic cost of coronavirus lockdown.

Swarms of locusts have damaged orange crop and vegetable plantations in some areas of Nagpur and Wardha districts in Maharashtra, an agriculture official said on Tuesday. The situation has been particularly grim in central India's Rajasthan, where millions of locusts have been attacking crops since April.

The insects are now appearing in locations where they had not been previously sighted, nibbling their way across large swathes of farmlands in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat states, too.

Authorities estimate the insects have engulfed more than 50,000 hectares of agricultural land in seven of India's heartland states. The sudden outbreak has prompted them to use vehicle-mounted sprayers, pesticides and drones to stop the infestation.

"It is an alarming situation," said KL Gurjar, a top official of India's Locust Warning Organization."But we are more worried of their breeding. If that happens, it could be devastating for our farmlands."

Gurjar said India has not seen locust swarms on this scale since 1993 and the numbers of the fast-breeding insects could grow immensely before drier weather curbs their spread. He said higher than normal temperatures this year have helped locusts spread more rapidly.