DUSHANBE, May 13, Asia-Plus  -- According to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the locust infestation has to date spread to over 100,550 hectares of areas under cotton and grain crops.

The source at a MoA said that some 82,000 hectares of the affected area has been treated so far.

According to him, the southern Khatlon province is the most affected area.  Here 62,800 hectares have been invaded by locusts.  52,855 hectares of the affected areas in Khatlon have been treated. 

The locust invasion was also detected in the northern Sughd province, where 21,350 hectares of farmland have been affected by locusts. 16,918 hectares of the affected areas have been treated.

Districts subordinate to the center (RRPs) have also been invaded by locusts, the MoA source said.  According to him, 18,100 hectares have been invaded by locusts in RRPs.  12,020 hectares of the affected area have been treated so far.

Local experts attribute this year’s infestation to a disruption of the insects’ usual seasonal migration pattern by the unusually unset of hot weather. 

Last year, locust invasions destroyed crops and cotton plantations over an area of more than 80,000 hectares, and the Khatlon province was the most affected area.