Madagascar: 70% of locust-infested area treated in 2010-2011

According to the Malagasy Locust Control Centre (CNA), 70.87% of the area infested by locusts in Madagascar have been treated during the 2010-2011 locust campaign. The latest assessment shows that 356,198 Ha areas have been infested by locusts between October 2010 and August 2011. About 252,471 Ha of these areas have been treated in the southwestern Madagascar, the major infested region, including Androy, Anosy, Befandriana, Ejeda, Ihorombe and Sakaraha.

With the help of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), some 90,380 gallons of pesticides were sprayed by helicopter while ground-based control measures consumed 53,476 gallons of liquid pesticides on 64,651 hectares.

However, the CNA is already planning to process some 300,000 hectares infested by locusts from November 2011 to May 2012. The cost of the transaction is valued at $ 7.6 million.

In addition to conventional pesticides, a biopesticide based on a fungus that is lethal to locusts and grasshoppers was used for the first time on a large scale.

While such efforts prevented the 2010 locust upsurge escalating into a plague, with disastrous consequences on crops and livelihoods, weather and ecological conditions in the first half of this year triggered a renewed buildup of locust populations over large parts of southwestern Madagascar.

About Agropages.com

Agropages is the leading online media exclusively dedicated to agrochemical business, delivering rich information, deep market analysis to industry people.

Agropages is also the most professional services provider, providing comprehensive online marketing solution suited to different promotion need.

For more information, please visit: www.agropages.com