Plague of Grasshoppers: Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

By Barrie | January 30th, 2008 | No Comments

A plague of grasshoppers has invaded East Nusa Tenggara, destroying more than 2,000 hectares of agricultural land across three regencies. Following the initial invasion of millions of grasshoppers early last week, some 400 hectares of corn and rice paddies in the Belu regency have turned yellow and local farmers expect a crop failure over the next two months.

A provincial government senior staff member Sentianus Medi said the government had coordinated with the regental administration to control the locusts.

“Several groups of officers have been deployed to help farmers spray pesticides to control the plague,” he said here on Tuesday.

He added that millions of grasshoppers have also attacked around 1,000 hectares of farmland and plantations in North Timor Tengah and 200 ha in South Timor Tengah.

North Timor Tengah agriculture and plantation office chief David Djunaidi said his office and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) were still distributing sprayers and pesticides to farmers to prevent the spread of the plague into other areas in the regency.

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 hectares of paddy fields in the West Malaka subdistrict have been inundated by floods after a deluge of rain that has fallen on the area since Sunday.

West Malaka subdistrict chief Remigius Asa said many people whose homes were submerged have been evacuated and moved to temporary shelters in safer areas.

He said his office were still calculating losses caused by the floods, and expects the provincial administration to help distribute food and medicines to flood victims.

Yemris Fointuna