Locust infestation decimates crops in Erbil's Bradost
SIDAKAN, Kurdistan Region — Farmers are struggling to grow their crops as swarms of locusts have descended upon their farmlands and decimated fields in the Bradost area.
"I have not planted anything on my land due to my fear of locust attacks," said Rasul Ahmed, a local farmer.
"They eat everything that I plant," Ahmed added.
Several other farmers have replanted their fields numerous times this year already, as their fields are continuously ravaged by the locust infestation.
"We kill a lot of them, but they always come back," said Mustafa Wisw, another local farmer of the area.
"The insecticides I have purchased so far cost me between 500-600,000 Iraqi dinars. Although we spray them, we are unable to defeat them," he explained.
Farmers will be provided with more insecticides by the agriculture ministry, according to Hakeem Abdulla, Director of the Department of Agriculture in Soran.
"As insecticides are in ample supply in the stores, farmers in Sidakan will have more access to them as of Sunday," said Abdulla.
Bradost is among the most fertile areas of Erbil province, with thousands of dunams of farmlands. Produce from these farms are exported to Iraq and Kurdistan during the summer.
"I have not planted anything on my land due to my fear of locust attacks," said Rasul Ahmed, a local farmer.
"They eat everything that I plant," Ahmed added.
Several other farmers have replanted their fields numerous times this year already, as their fields are continuously ravaged by the locust infestation.
"We kill a lot of them, but they always come back," said Mustafa Wisw, another local farmer of the area.
"The insecticides I have purchased so far cost me between 500-600,000 Iraqi dinars. Although we spray them, we are unable to defeat them," he explained.
Farmers will be provided with more insecticides by the agriculture ministry, according to Hakeem Abdulla, Director of the Department of Agriculture in Soran.
"As insecticides are in ample supply in the stores, farmers in Sidakan will have more access to them as of Sunday," said Abdulla.
Bradost is among the most fertile areas of Erbil province, with thousands of dunams of farmlands. Produce from these farms are exported to Iraq and Kurdistan during the summer.
Translation and video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed