QALA-E-NAU (SW) – A number of farmers and residents of Badghis have expressed grim concerns about the invasion of the locusts in the pistachio orchards in this province.
According to them, it has been more than two weeks that locusts have invaded some districts of this province, especially in pistachio gardens, and they are unable to prevent it.
Juma Gul, a resident of Langar Badghis district, said that locusts have invaded and eaten the leaves and fruits of the pistachio trees in the “Pol-Kohne” and “Chal-Kohne” areas of this district.
Khoda Bakhsh, a farmer in Badghis, said that locusts have also invaded Bala Morghab and Ghormach districts. “Drought has also damaged our crops and with the arrival of locusts, our concern has increased. We ask the government to help us.”
Meanwhile, Abdul Hai Munir, head of agriculture department in Badghis, confirmed that locusts have invaded the districts of Jund, Tagab Alam, Bom Valley, and Bala Murghab in this province. “In some places it affected wheat and in some places cumin [and also] in Seghav region, it also came to pistachio forests and caused damage to pistachio trees.”
He said that in cooperation with partner institutions in this province, the campaign to prevent the invasion of locusts in pistachio gardens and fields has been started. “But, unfortunately, Badghis does not have that many facilities. ”
Not long ago, the World Food Program said that the invasion of locusts has been seen in a number of northern and northeastern provinces of Afghanistan, and if its spread is not prevented, 25% of the wheat harvest will be lost.
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