African citrus exports threatened by locusts

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned that locust swarms in North Africa could threaten this year's citrus crop. The citrus crops grown in Morocco and exported to Europe and North America, with an estimated value of $400 million, could be at risk in the coming months. In April, nearly 500,000 acres (200,000 hectares) of locust infestations were treated in Morocco. In Algeria, locust control operations are under way against swarms that laid eggs in a broad swath of the country from its borders with Morocco in the west and with Tunisia in the east. "This is the most serious locust situation in the region for ten years," said Keith Cressman, FAO Locust Information Officer.