Fall Armyworm expected to very severely damage crops in Southern China
Already battling Covid-19 and African Swine Fever, China is looking over its shoulder at another threat emerging from nature — the Fall Armyworm (FAW).
A recent report by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) anticipates that FAW damage to crops will be very severe in 2020 across Southern China.
And it is feared that FAW’s movement to Northern China will occur one to two months earlier than last year.
It is predicted the country will see a jump in prices due to a shortage of maize this year, especially if the FAW affects large areas of the North China Plain and Northeast China, the country’s maize belt.
MARA’s plan is to limit the country’s 2020 grain production loss due to FAW within 5%.
Since the crop pest was first detected in China’s southwestern province of Yunnan in January 2019, it has infested more than 1.1 million hectares) in 25 provinces and regions.
A recent report by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) anticipates that FAW damage to crops will be very severe in 2020 across Southern China.
