Zambia announces outbreak of fall armyworms

Lusaka, Zambia | Xinhua | An outbreak of fall armyworms has broken out in Zambia and threatened the country’s agricultural produce, a government official said on Wednesday.

Reuben Phiri, the Minister of Agriculture, said the fall armyworms have so far been reported in Mkushi district in the central part of the country but added that the outbreak was likely to spread to all parts of the country because of the prevailing climatic conditions.

He told reporters during a press briefing that so far, about 331 hectares of land have been affected by the fall armyworms in the district.

The minister however said the ministry has strengthened surveillance and other control measures to contain the outbreak of the migratory pests, adding that the ministry was actively monitoring the situation.

According to him, Zambia has in the last 10 years experienced outbreaks of fall armyworms in seven agricultural seasons.

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Xinhua