Locust Hit Karatobe District

A locust outbreak has begun in the Karatobe district of the West Kazakhstan region, with more than 120,000 hectares affected, Orda.kz reports, citing Uralskaya Nedelya.

Local officials say the situation was anticipated. Zhasulan Sultan, Akim of the district, acknowledged that the insect population this year significantly exceeds normal levels.

Experts note that such increases occur roughly every 10–12 years due to natural population cycles. This year’s surge, they say, is the strongest in a decade. However, officials stress that there is currently no risk to the harvest.

Treatment is being carried out everywhere, equipment is being used. There are no complaints from the population, crops are not damaged. The effectiveness of the measures is estimated at 90–92%,
said Yerlan Orynbayev, head of the regional office of the Ministry of Agriculture. 

Both solitary and gregarious locust species have been identified. Pest control efforts are ongoing, with the use of ground equipment, aerosol generators, drones, and light aircraft.

A total of 312 million tenge has been allocated for pest control, and over 130,000 hectares have already been treated, particularly in areas with high concentrations of larvae.

Similar outbreaks are being reported in other parts of the country. In the Qostanay region, locusts have reached the highways, while in the Qyzylorda region, an operational headquarters has been established to monitor and manage the situation.

To date, no significant crop damage has been reported.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov