Locusts extensively damage crops in Umerkot as govt watches in silence

SUKKUR: Swarms of short-horned grasshoppers have played havoc with the vegetation and crops in Chhachhro and Umerkot’s arid and barrage areas, spreading gloom among the farmers.

Extensive locust damage to crops has been reported from Ghulam Nabi Shah, Dhoronaro, Chhor, Dodhar, Parchi je Veri, Hasisar, Haveli, Danboro and a number of other areas but no proactive government action was seen to destroy the breeding locusts despite repeated warnings.

According to Soofi Aslam, a local farmer, the average yield of cotton and chili had already dropped by 60 percent due to a variety of agricultural issues, while rest of the damage has been done by the swarms of locusts. He complained that the provincial government did nothing to prevent the locust attack. Other farmers said huge swarms of locust attacked the crops, they destroyed the entire crops and other vegetation in a matter of few hours.

Jaggat Daan Charan, a resident of Chhor, said we finally received good rains after a lapse of three years and were hopeful it will lead to a good yield of crops but the extensive locust attack has shattered our dreams. On the other hand, provincial agriculture minister Ismail Rahoo met officials at Circuit House Umerkot who briefed him about the extent of the locust attack.

Talking to media persons, he claimed the Sindh government directed extensive spray when locust swarms were detected in May 2019. The minister contested the farmer’s claims of extensive damage to crops, saying in the last five months there has been no major crop losses. He, however, said data of agricultural losses is being collected to compensate the growers.