FAO's Locust Watch issues latest Desert Locust Bulletin

By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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FAO's Locust Watch issues latest Desert Locust Bulletin

KHARTOUM, Sudan, July 3, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- FAO's Locust Watch information service has just issued the latest Desert Locust Bulletin which contains forecasts for locust breeding this summer season.


Information for Sudan is as follows:

The current warning level is Caution which means increased surveillance is required.

Desert Locust numbers have declined in the Nile Valley due to successful control measures put in place by the federal Ministry of Agriculture's Plant Protection Directorate.

During the forecast period up until mid-August there is a low to moderate risk that a few more groups and perhaps small swarms may move from the interior of Saudi Arabia to Yemen and Sudan. Similarly, a few small groups may also move from Egypt to Sudan. Consequently, initial locust numbers will be higher than normal in the vast summer breeding areas of Sudan between Chad and Eritrea. At present vegetation remains dry and unfavourable to breeding. However at least one generation of breeding is likely to occur, causing locust numbers to increase further in Darfur, North Kordofan, White Nile, Khartoum and Kassala states. PPD teams are continuing their surveillance of at-risk areas.