Rise in temperature increases risk of locust swarms reaching the Kingdom: Ministry

shaheennews

The Ministry of Agriculture said the expected rise in temperature in the coming weeks and the movement of winds will greatly increase the risk of locust swarms reaching the Kingdom.

The locust movement at the regional level, according to reports issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and locust prediction centers in neighboring countries, indicate a significant and dangerous development in terms of the formation of swarms and their movement from one place to another, the ministry said Tuesday in a statement.

The situation of the Desert Locust in the Horn of Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan, Tanzania and the Congo is witnessing a great and dangerous development as locust swarms form and move from one place to another, the statement added. This week also witnessed a movement of swarms in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the southern coasts of Iran and the interior regions of the Arabian Peninsula, the statement noted.

In spite of control operations, the situation is getting worse, especially in the Horn of Africa, in addition to recording a strange phenomenon with the splitting of swarms in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and the start of breeding in each region separately with the presence of adult swarms and new ones.

Through close follow-up to outcomes of daily exploratory campaigns in the governorates located on the desert locust traffic map in the south, there is no locust swarm, the ministry confirmed.

//Petra//