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Locusts ruin entire crops of tomatoes, carrots, peas in Gadap Town

By Our Correspondent
November 15, 2019

KARACHI: The locust attack has ruined the entire peas crop after destroying tomatoes and carrot crops in Gadap Town, while no action was taken by the authorities to lessen losses of farmers.

Sindh Minister for Agriculture, Ismail Raho demanded to take emergency measures to counter the locust attack, saying the locust larvae in different districts of Sindh may cause devastation in agriculture sector. He also suggested the Karachiites to make locust Biryani and Karhai to eliminate them.

Sources claimed no action was yet taken to counter future locust attack in Gadap Town, while the previous attack caused serious damages to farmers. They said locusts were continuously attacking the rural or suburb areas of Gadap Town harming the standing crops of peas after damaging tomatoes and carrots. The local farmers demanded to spray medicine or the standing crops would be completely wiped out.

Earlier, on November 10, the locust attack in Malir, Korangi, Bahadurabad, Hassan Square and Nazimabad areas created panic among the residents. Director Plant and Protection Department Sindh, Tariq Khan, said the locusts stayed in Karachi not for food but to hatch their eggs and would return to Balochistan soon. Adviser WWF Muazzam Khan said excessive rain and heat caused the increase in locusts. In 1960, Karachi had experienced a similar locust attack.