Swarms of Locusts Attack Orange Orchards in Maharashtra; UP Areas Bordering MP, Raj on Alert

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.

Divisional Joint Director of Agriculture, Ravi Bhosle, told PTI that large swarms of locusts stretching up to 17 kms in length and 2 to 2.5 km in width entered the farms in Fetri, Khangaon in Katol in Nagpur district and in Ashti taluka in Wardha district on Saturday night.

The orange season in Katol is in full bloom, he said.

Fortunately, as the Kharif season is yet to started, there are no major standing crops in fields except vegetables like brinjal, ladies' fingers besides orange orchards.

"No major financial loss is caused for crops due to the locust attack, however, some patches of orange orchards and vegetable fields suffered damage due to the pests," Bhosle said.

Agriculture workers started spraying pesticides and chemicals on plants and fields from truck-operated sprayers and fire extinguishers since Saturday, he said.

Bhosle further informed that the swarms were spotted in Parseoni and Kalmeshwar areas of Katol on Monday also.

"Farmers have been alerted about the preventive measures to be taken, such as making noises and community spraying of insecticides," said Bhosle.

At least 10 districts in Uttar Pradesh that border Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been put on alert after swarms of locusts attacked crops in the two states, an official said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh the state's agriculture department and farmers of districts bordering Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been told to be on the lookout after swarms of locusts destroyed crops in the neighbouring states, an official told PTI on Wednesday.

The official added that the locusts had arrived at Amravati in Maharashtra and Mandla in Madhya Pradesh from Rajasthan and may reach the bordering districts of Chhattisgarh "in a day or two."

"Hence, the Central Integrated Pest Management Centre (CIPMC) has asked agriculture officials and farmers of the districts concerned to be aware of these insects and take precautionary measures, a public relations official was quoted as saying.

Farmers have been asked to use pesticides like malathion, fenvalerate and quinalphos, to protect their crops from locust attack, he added.