Locusts attack crops in western MP, agri centres alerted

Huge swarms of locusts from Rajasthan have entered parts of western Mhya Presh, posing a threat to crops in central state, an official said on Thursday.

An visory has been issued to 22 agriculture science centres on how to fight menace, Jabalpur-based Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalayas extension services director Dr Om Gupta told PTI.

locusts initially entered Rajasthan from Pakistan where y flew in from Iran last year.

From Rajasthan, locusts entered Mhya Presh via Neemuch and have vanced to Ujjain and Dewas. insects are likely to furr move towards Harda, official said.

Six swarms of locusts have so far been ticed in Mhya Presh, she said, ding that y move according to direction of wind.

"We have issued an visory to 22 Krishi Vigyan Kendras coming under our university on how to fight locust menace," official said.

insects eat up all crops in a field y attack, inflicting 100 per cent dam, she said.

However, right w fields in Mhya Presh have minimum crops since it is summer time, Gupta said.

Crops may have been currently sown only in areas where re are irrigation facilities, she said.

In December last year, locusts from desert areas of Pakistan descended in Gujarat districts like Banaskantha, Mehsana, Kutch, Patan and Sabarkantha and attacked several crops.

Gujarat government h n anunced a compensation for farmers whose crops were damd.