The Desert Locust situation continued to remain calm during June. Preventive control operations were undertaken in Algeria and Iran where small-scale breeding had occurred. Elsewhere, only low numbers of locusts were present in the interior of Sudan. However, unusually early and good rains fell during June throughout most of the summer breeding areas in the northern Sahel of West Africa and Sudan as well as along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border. This will cause ecological conditions to become favourable for breeding earlier than normal and could allow for two generations of summer breeding this year, especially as the current seasonal forecasts are suggesting above-average rains from July to September in parts of the Sahel. During the forecast period, locust numbers will increase slightly in all summer breeding areas where surveys should commence and continue on a regular basis.
Western Region. The situation remained calm in the region during June. Limited preventive control operations continued in Algeria (70 ha) against adults near irrigated agricultural areas in the central Sahara. Elsewhere, no locusts were reported. Unusually good rains fell in June throughout the northern Sahel and in parts of the Sahara. As this is earlier than normal, summer breeding is likely to commence early this year in the northern Sahel between Mauritania and Chad. If good rains continue until October, there may be a possibility for two generations of breeding to occur this summer. During the forecast period, small-scale egg-laying and hatching are expected to take place in southern and central Mauritania, northern Mali and Niger, central and eastern Chad and perhaps southern Algeria.
Central Region. The locust situation remained calm as no locusts were reported in the region during June except for low numbers of solitarious adults in the interior of Sudan. Nevertheless, good rains fell throughout most of the summer breeding areas in the interior of Sudan where small-scale egg-laying and hatching are expected to take place during the forecast period. Unusually good rains fell along the Red Sea coast in Eritrea and Yemen where small-scale breeding could occur on an exceptional basis. Small-scale breeding may also occur in areas of recent rainfall in eastern Ethiopia and the interior of Yemen.
Eastern Region. Control operations (5,500 ha) were carried out against hoppers and adults in the Jaz Murian Basin of southeastern Iran during June. Good pre-monsoon rains fell in summer breeding areas along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border in early June followed by the onset of the monsoon at the end of the month. This will allow ecological conditions to become favourable for small-scale breeding that is expected to occur during the forecast period, causing locust numbers to increase slightly.