KATHMANDU, JULY 14

The government has proposed to provide Rs 500 per kg of locusts as the insects pose grave risk for agricultural produce in different parts of the country.

Earlier, various local levels had announced to provide between Rs 20 to Rs 100, per kg of locust. The government decided to hike the price of the insects in a bid to motivate locust collectors. These insects can be used as feed for chicken and fish.

Locust swarms reportedly entered Nepal on June 27, and were spotted in various parts of the country within the next few days. The herbivorous insects often fly in swarms, each swarm consisting of millions, according to experts.

The insect that is related to the grasshopper family weights 1.98 to two grams, on average. Plant Quarantine and Pesticides Management Centre under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has floated the proposal for the same. The Ministry had formed a task force to study on the entry of locusts in Nepal and come up with means and ways to control them.

The task force has put forth the proposal, according to the Centre’s Chief Sahadev Prasad Humagain.

Humagain said, “A small band of locusts have entered Nepal and spread across the country. Given the small number of locusts ent0ering Nepal, there has not been significant damage to the crops yet.” He further elaborated, “The ministry has proposed to provide Rs 500 per kg for locusts to encourage the catchers as well as to control the locusts that migrated to Nepal and have spread in various parts of the country.”

Pesticides used to control locusts could harm human beings and the natural environment. Hence, the centre has discouraged the use of any harmful chemical.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 15, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.