The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reported that yellow-spined bamboo locusts have harmed up to 1,013 hectares of crops in Cao Bang,, Bac Kan, Dien Bien, Lang Son, Son La, Dien Bien, Tuyen Quang, Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces.
Yellow-spined bamboo locusts: photo by Viet Duy/Danviet
Cao Bang has been affected the most with 773 hectares damaged.
According to the MARD, the bamboo locust is a fast-moving pest with highly destructive potential and is difficult to control. Most of the bamboo locusts are still wingless, but in the next 10-20 days, they will be more mature and develop wings, forming swarms. Therefore, it will be much more challenging to control, the ministry noted.
The ministry has urged localities to early define locust infestations to quickly spray pesticides to remove them. It is important to raise people’s awareness of the locust’s impacts and early detect the pest’ appearance.
Between 2016 and 2018, bamboo locusts damaged nearly 4,000 hectares annually of forestry and crops. In the 2019-2023 period, they returned but on a smaller scale than in previous years.
Since early this year, the average temperature in the northern region has been 1-2 degrees centigrade higher than previous years. There have also been many days with light rain and drizzle, creating very favourable conditions for bamboo grasshoppers to develop.
