Odisha govt issues guidelines for farmers against locust attack as a preventive measure

Amid the possibility of a locust attack in the state, the Odisha government on Wednesday issued guidelines for farmers and asked them to take preventive steps suggested in this regard. The Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) in collaboration with the state Agriculture Department issued a detailed advisory for the farmers.

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'We need to be cautious'

"In view of the arising situation of locust attack in our bordering states, we need to be cautious. For that, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) and Agriculture Department has issued the advisory for the farmers and they have been asked to follow the guidelines," state agriculture minister Arun Sahoo said.

"As preventive measures, farmers need to spray their crops with a solution based on neem seeds extract mixing with water or they can also spray their crops with neem-based pesticides available in the market by mixing with water as suggested in the guidelines," the minister added.

The desert locust, which belongs to the family of short-horned grasshoppers, is largely found in East Africa. The insects eat crops and the green part of trees, and abundant rainfall in East Africa has helped them breed and multiply in recent times."These insects have entered Iran, Pakistan and now India. Swarms of locusts have invaded Madhya Pradesh. We apprehend they may come to Odisha,” Sahoo said.

The Odisha agriculture minister stated that there is no reason to be alarmed as the state has not faced such a situation for a long time but farmers need to follow the guidelines as a precautionary measure to contain the possible locust attack.

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Govt steps up locust control operations

Meanwhile, the central government has stepped up efforts to control the spread of swarms of locust in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, and plans to soon deploy drones for spraying pesticides, the Union Agriculture Ministry said on Wednesday.

About 21 districts in Rajasthan, 18 districts in Madhya Pradesh, 2 districts in Gujarat and 1 district in Punjab have undertaken locust control measures till now, the ministry said in a statement. It has been controlled in 47,308-hectare areas so far in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, the statement read.

The government has placed an order for buying 60 spraying machines from UK-based company Micron, and two firms have been finalised for the supply of drones for aerial spraying of insecticides for effective control over tall trees and inaccessible areas, it added.

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(With agency inputs)