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By APD writer Muhammad Sohail
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 19 (APD) – The government of Pakistan has officially sought help from China to fight against locust attacks which have been devastating crops at thousands of acres in different areas of the country, especially during the last three months, officials said on Wednesday.
An official from Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research said that China will send a team of technical experts to Pakistan to deliberate on the handling of locust swarms in the country.
According to the official, the development emerged after Pakistan’s Minister for National Food Security and Research Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar met with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing and delivered the Pakistani government’s request for an urgent need of aerial support along with pesticides to contain the breeding of locusts in vulnerable areas.
The Chinese ambassador said China will support Pakistan and will consider the supply of pesticides and spraying equipment to Pakistan as an emergency project.
The Chinese envoy said that China is interested in increasing its import of agricultural products from Pakistan, so China wants to ease the export of such products from Pakistan.
Pakistani minister welcomed the Chinese interest in the import of agricultural products from Pakistan and appreciated the pro-activeness of China to support Pakistan against the locust plague.
The locust swarm entered into Pakistan last year and has devastated the cotton crop in its last planting season and now it is attacking the wheat crop. It is the worst locust plague in Pakistan faced in decades, which has devastated crops in parts of the country. Pakistan faced such a worst situation of infestation of the pillaging insects in 1993.
The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization has warned Pakistan about a serious threat in the future.
The Pakistani government has declared an emergency this month but is struggling to counter the attack due to lack of resources, technology and expertise.
The official further added that the Chinese technical experts’ delegation is likely to reach Pakistan on Sunday to start an evaluation of the locust situation.
The Chinese team will have discussions with the ministry officials and Pakistani experts, followed by a visit to the locust affected areas in the provinces.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
