Locust invasion wreaks havoc on Pakistan’s crops, orchards

Locust invasion wreaks havoc on Pakistan’s crops, orchards

Agriculture officials spray pesticides to kill desert locusts, the most destructive of the locust species, in a field in Pishin district of Pakistan on May 14, 2020.. Massive swarms of the desert locust, which experts say originates in Africa and is the most destructive of the locust species, began damaging crops in Pakistan last month.. Chaudhry Asghar, an agriculture officer in Multan, said millions of desert locusts had already damaged orchards, crops and vegetables.. The locusts have also brought agricultural destruction to neighboring India, where critics pointed the finger at Pakistan as a new breeding ground for the desert locusts.. "I have already lost my cotton crop and vegetables because of these locusts," Abdul Rehman, a farmer in Baluchistan province, said.. The National Disaster Management Authority said resources were being mobilized and operations were underway to curb the locust invasion.. Malaysia's Mahathir ousted from party amid power struggle /node/1681591/world. The party has been split into two camps since intense political wrangling led Mahathir to resign as prime minister in February and the king to appoint fellow party member Muhyiddin Yassin as his replacement despite Mahathir's objections..