First major locust attack in state since 1993; 3 districts hit
Maharashtra is facing its first major locust invasion since 1993, with a swarm of short horned grasshoppers having invaded six talukas across three districts — Amravati, Wardha and Nagpur — in Vidarbha. While major food crops are not under threat, fruit orchards and vegetable farms are likely to be affected.
According to the state agriculture department, the swarm is reported to be at least 10-km-long and two-km-wide, which has covered a distance of around 120km between May 24 and 26, and it continues to spread.
The main affected areas include 22 villages across Morshi and Warud talukas in Amravati; Ashti taluka in upper Wardha district; and Katol, Kalmeshwar and Narkhed talukas in Nagpur. “The invasion began from Katol on Monday morning. While major crop damage is not expected since we are close to monsoon and sowing in these areas begins by June 7, but orange orchards are threatened by the invasion. A 25% loss is being estimated for those owning these orchards,” said Ravindra Bhosale, divisional joint director agriculture, Nagpur division. “The swarm is now moving further deeper into rural areas of Nagpur division. At Kalmeshwar taluka, on Tuesday, we were informed of damage to vegetable crops across 5-6 hectares,” said
Bhosale.
The last time Maharashtra witnessed such an invasion was in 1993 in Dhule district, the Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) under the Union agriculture ministry said.
“An escaping population of desert locusts made their way from Madhya Pradesh into Amravati district on May 24 owing to the current wind direction and the presence of forest patches where they can grow and breed. Over 48 hours, they have covered two more districts, showing an unusual swarming behaviour,” said Dr KL Gurjar, deputy director and national coordinator on mitigating locust attacks, LWO.