UP govt readies itself for locust swarms, issues advisory to farmers

The farmers have been advised to spray sugarcane crop with insecticides, if locusts are seen in their fields

Even as sugarcane crushing is in full swing in Uttar Pradesh, the Adityanath government has issued an advisory to farmers against locust (grasshopper), which have wrecked havoc in neighbouring Pakistan and caused concern in Western Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Taking a proactive stance in the backdrop of recent news about locust outbreak in some states, UP cane and sugar commissioner Sanjay R Bhoosreddy has instructed departmental officers and scientists of state Sugarcane Research Centers to conduct awareness campaign among farmers to protect sugarcane crop from such pests.

“Although our advisory is targetted at the cane farmers, locust damage all types