The Diyala Agriculture Directorate revealed today, Thursday, the spread of the "palm weevil" in the orchards of all areas of the province except for Mandali, warning of its rapid spread given the shortage of pest control supplies.
The spokesman for the directorate, Mohammed Al-Mindalawi, said in a press interview obtained by the "News Video Agency," that "the palm weevil has spread in the orchards of the province's areas except for Mandali, with a significant concentration of infestations currently in the orchards of Al-Miqdadiyah, Khales, and Baqubah."
He added that "preventive and control campaigns are ongoing, covering about 10,000 palm trees since the beginning of this year until now, but the rapid spread of the pest increases the challenges faced by the control teams."
Al-Mindalawi indicated that "the control teams are suffering from a shortage of supplies and are conducting their campaigns with their own efforts and available resources," pointing out that "the staff needs devices and protective tools to continue the campaigns and reach the infested orchards."
He called on the relevant authorities in the province to "support the Agriculture Directorate and provide the needs of its teams, to enhance control efforts and limit the spread of the weevil and save the palms of Diyala from its danger."
The "red palm weevil" strikes a large number of Iraqi provinces, causing a red alert for the agricultural sector after its spread in more than 7 provinces. It entered Iraq in 2019 through the Safwan area in Basra province.