Our Correspondent
Quetta
Scientists of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture (MNSUA) will visit Locust-hit cultivated areas of Balochistan province and conduct experiments on elimination of the Locust.
According to Dean of Agriculture and Environment Sciences MNSUA, Professor Dr Shafqat Saeed, a delegation of MNSUA scientists in collaboration with officials of Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nation would visit Locust affect areas. He informed that the delegation was invited by Agriculture Department of Government of Balochistan.
He informed that the delegation would visit such areas where Locust was affecting crop. He informed that Locust had affect 60 percent crops in some areas of the province. To a query about purpose of visit, he informed that MNSUA recently prepared bio-pesticide for elimination of Locust. Locust was eliminated successfully in lab. Now, they would test the pesticide in open fields.
Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) urged the government to fully support farmers for elimination of locust, as the worst attacks had devastated the agriculture sector in various parts of the country. Talking to the media here, LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said that according to reports, locust swamps had destroyed around 40 per cent of wheat, cotton, vegetables and other crops in different parts of Sindh and now the locust had entered Punjab that should be a matter of great concern for all.
He said that crops, particularly cotton, had already been badly affected by rains and now locusts attack was aggravating the situation. He said, “Farmers are much worried about it and compelled to see their crops being destroyed in front of their eyes. They are trying to run millions of locusts away through self-help and with indigenous methods in the absence of departments’ support.
