JEDDAH: The Ministry of Agriculture has increased its efforts to combat swarms of locusts that have attacked areas including Laith and Rabeigh, in Makkah Region; Yanbu; Badr, in Madina; and Qalwa, in Baha. Eng. Muhammad Halwani, Director of the National Center for Combating Locusts, said the Ministry has deployed 26 anti-locust teams, which are spraying insecticide, and six exploration teams. Locusts have invaded an area totaling 6,000 hectares and teams have sprayed insecticides on areas covering 3,018 hectares, he said. Recent rain has created an environment conducive to proliferation of locusts along the Red Sea, Engineer Halwani said. Experts expect that the swarms' will increase in the next few weeks because locusts coming from East Africa are proliferating in neighboring countries and the weather is expected to contribute to the growth in their numbers. Engineer Halwani urged people who collect locusts to sell or eat them to make sure that they are not contaminated by insecticide. Fire used to grill them will not help get rid of the poisonous chemicals in the insecticides, he added, and heat actually increases the intensity of the toxicity of chemicals in the insecticides. Exploration teams have been deployed to places where the locusts proliferate and spotted swarms in Makkah, specifically in Laith, Qunfudha and Rabeigh governorates, which are affiliated to Makkah Region; in addition to others in Rabeigh, an affiliate of Madina; Qalwa in Baha; and Amloj in Tabuk, he said. Teams have also found the areas where the locust eggs hatch, he added. The teams, which are also closely monitoring other areas being attacked by small numbers of locusts, are ready to take all necessary measures if their numbers grow, Engineer Halwani said One major obstacle facing the teams is existence of bees and animal breeders in these areas, he said, pointing out that if the breeders don't abandon these areas the spread of locusts will increase. Halwani said it should be understood that process of attack locusts is interest of all the citizens; it protects crops from being damaged by locusts and preserves pastures for beekeepers and animal breeders.
