DUSHANBE, April 15, 2009, Asia-Plus — Locust infestation has hit more than 27,000 hectares of farmland in 17 districts of the country so far, according to the state unity enterprise, Fight against Locust Infestation.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the enterprise director Qiyomiddin Ghaniyev said that besides the Khatlon district locusts had also appeared in several districts subordinate to the center as well as in the Sughd province.
According to him, specialists have treated more than 13,000 hectares of the locust-affected areas. “The worst hit areas are Rumi, Qumsanir, Danghara and Khuroson districts in Khatlon, where the locust infestation has affected up to 4,000 ha of farmland in each of the districts,” Ghaniyev said.
In the central part of the country, locusts have hit totaling more than 1,000 hectares of farmland in the Roudaki, Tursunzoda, and Sharinav districts. Locusts may appear in the Hissor district within the next few days as well, he added.
In northern Tajikistan, locusts have still appeared only in the Mastchoh district, where they have affected 20 hectares of farmland so far. Specialists expect locusts to affect 8,500 hectares of farmland in the Sughd province.
“Our specialists have studied more than 220,000 hectares of lands throughout the country to this date and locust grubs have been found on an area of 158,000 hectares,” said Ghaniyev, “The grubs will be in their greatest force in late April and locusts may affect some 82,000 hectares of farmland by the end of April.”
We will recall that last year, locust infestation hit more than 114,000 hectares of land in the country, including 84,000 hectares in Khatlon. Last year’s locust infestation was attributed to a disruption of the insects” usual seasonal migration pattern by the unusually early onset of hot weather after a record cold winter.
