India co-ordinates with Iran to tackle Locust menace

New Delhi: In a move to counter the locust menace at its breeding ground, the Union government has approached Iran for coordinated efforts. 

As a step towards this, HIL (India) Limited, a PSU under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and one of the leading manufacturer of insecticides  in the country has supplied 25MT Malathion 95% ULV to Iran under  Government-to-Government  initiative for Locust Control programme.

India had recently approached Iran and Pakistan for coordinated response to counter desert locust menace in the region. Iran has expressed its willingness to the proposal and accordingly Ministry of External Affairs placed an order with HIL (India) Limited, to manufacture and supply 25 MT of Malathion 95% ULV to Iran. The consignment is  expected to reach Iran  by 16th June 2020.  

As per the reports of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the hopper stage population of locust is building up in Sistan-Baluchistan Region of Iran, which shall migrate to India in coming months leading to further crop devastation. Government of India has taken an initiative to counter the locust menace at its breeding ground itself and approached Iran for coordinated efforts. 

Desert Locust after severe crop devastation in Horn of Africa, East Africa and Arabian Peninsula has entered into India in March/April 2020 and it has affected the field crop, horticulture crops and other plantation in the State of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. The country is experiencing worst locust invasion, which was last observed more than 25 years back. 

HIL (India) Limited is also supplying Malathion 95% ULV to Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Locust Control Programme in the country. From 2019 till date Company  has supplied more than 600 MT of Malathion 95% ULV for this programme, according to PIB.