The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare held a meeting with representatives of the Pesticide Manufacturing Industry through video conferencing to check the strategy to prevent locust attacks on agricultural fields.
GoI is taking several measures to ensure uninterrupted sowing and harvesting operations amid lockdown.
The Central and State Governments are working together on the Desert Locust Control measures and have been able to check its spread. In this regard, mew machines have been ordered from the United Kingdom.
The locust invasion was first noticed in 2019 and the farmers were taken unawares as it took place after decades.
The Centre has compensated farmers who suffered losses from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Fund.
Amid COVID-19 lockdown, the Locust Control Offices have been working since 11 April 2020 with 50 spray equipment/vehicles, in coordination with officials of the District Administration and State Agriculture Department.
Tractor mounted sprayers and fire-tender vehicles are deployed at various locations in locust control. Additional equipment is also being procured to increase the control capacity of Locust Control Organizations.
