Authorities have warned of more severe locust infestations this year following an increasing number of reports concerning the insect pests.

Last year locusts appeared in 140 places but this year they have been reported in more than 500 locations in 14 districts of three provinces, despite stronger measures to prevent them.

The government has declared a state of emergency in the three provinces of LuangPrabang, Huaphan and Phongsaly and pumped an enormous amount of resources into battling the locust army.

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Agriculture Department met with their counterparts from Thailand in Vientiane on Tuesday to discuss the prevention and control of locusts.

Director General of the Agriculture Department MrVilaysoukKhennavong outlined the general situation concerning locust infestations in Laos as well as the cooperation Laos has received from neighbouring countries including China.

Lao and Thai officials also discussed technical cooperation notably relating to plant protection and the use of fertilisers and herbicides.

Director of the Plant Protection Centre, MrSyriphonhPhithaksoun, told Vientiane Times yesterday that the impact from the yellow-spined bamboo locust infestation will be more severe this year.

“We are collecting information about the amount of crops destroyed by insect pests this year,” he said, adding that he was very concerned about the damage caused to the country by the locusts.

Last year, the locust plague destroyed more than 6,000 hectares of sweetcorn, Job's tear and upland rice in 14 districts of LuangPrabang, Phongsaly and Huaphan provinces.

The government has taken steps to address the issue by setting up a national ad hoc committee with joint operations carried out at the local level using available resources and support from the government of China.

The government received technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (FAO) to combat the locust population.

Government sectors, notably the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in cooperation with provincial authorities and other agencies, have enhanced the prevention and control of locusts using traditional methods and by spraying bio-pesticide, but this has not been as effective as expected.

According to an FAO report, this locust species normally emerges in April as it hatches from the previous year's eggs laid in the ground, then feeds and grows for up to four months, before developing wings as it reaches adulthood. The adults mate, lay their eggs in August, and then die.

Yellow-spined bamboo locusts were first detected in Laos in October 2014 in Phonthong district, LuangPrabang province, before spreading to other areas in the province and then to Phongsaly and Huaphan.