Lahore: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry has
urged the government to fully support the farmers in war against locust as
worst attacks in decades had devastated agriculture sector in various parts
of the country.
The LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said that according to reports,
locust swamps have destroyed around 40 percent of wheat, cotton,
vegetables and other crops in different parts of Sindh and now the locust
swamps have entered into Punjab that should be a matter of great concern
for all.
The LCCI President said that crops, particularly cotton had already been
badly affected by rains and now locusts attack is adding fire to the fuel. He
said that our farmer brothers are too much worried and compelled to see
their crops being destroyed in front of their eyes with tears.
He said that they are trying to run the millions of locusts away through self
helps and with desi methods due to lack of support from the concerned
authorities. Despite all efforts, farmers are unable to save their yields. He
said that gangs of locust landing the cropped area and destroying
everything in minutes.
Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said that the catastrophe has targeted some of the
poorest rural parts of the country where poverty is already at its peak and
farmers are heavily in debt.
“Millions of locusts are present in Pakistan and a failure to control meant
they would grow and would become more devastating”, the LCCI President
added.
Being an agrarian country, Pakistan cannot afford to lose its agriculture
base. If it happens, country would be facing a severe threat of food security
and unavailability of raw materials for the industry that would make
national economy vulnerable.
The LCCI President demanded compensation for the affected farmers so
that they can pay back their loans and can earn bread and butter for their
families. He said that a special plan should be devised to kill locusts in all
parts of the country.
