DUSHANBE, April 7, Asia-Plus  -- According to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), 13,000 liters of pesticides have been provided to combat a serious locust infestation that has spread to some 220,000 hectares in 16 districts of the Khatlon province and the Rudaki district, some 20 kilometers south of Dushanbe, over the past few days.

Specialists attribute the infestation to a disruption of the insects’ usual seasonal migration by the unusually early onset of hot weather.  The most affected area is the Khatlon province. 

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Qiyomiddin Ghaniyev, the chief of the commission for combating locust infestations in the Khatlon province, said that some 5,000 people have to date been involved in combating the locust infestation in the region.  According to him, the affected districts have to date received 4,000 liters of pesticides each. 

The source at the Committee for Emergency Situations (CES) said that 100 volunteers from the emergency service unit had been sent to combat locust infestation in Qumsangir and Rudaki districts.  

We will recall that President Emomali held a meeting with participation of senior representatives from the government and relevant ministries and organizations to review new measures to combat a serious locust infestation in the country.  

Last year, locust invasions destroyed thousands of hectares of farmland in southern Tajikistan.  Central districts and parts of the Sughd province were also invaded by locusts last year.