A cloud of locusts that have already reached crops in Paraguay are currently concentrated in Argentina may enter Brazilian territory, threatening plantations and pastures in the south of the country.
Monitoring this Tuesday (23) points out that the animals are in the Argentine region of Santa Fé, 250 km from the border with Rio Grande do Sul. The National Service for Health and Agri-Food Quality in Argentina alerted Brazilian authorities of their proximity.
A map released by the Argentine service shows areas where the cloud can reach. The western border of Rio Grande do Sul is demarcated as a danger zone; part of the border between the state of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina and areas of Paraguay that border Paraná is considered precautionary regions.
The group points out, however, that the direction of the winds and the climatic conditions favor Brazil and lead to believe that the cloud is moving to the south of Argentina and to Uruguay.
Technicians from the Argentine government detected that insects, up to 15 cm in size, entered the country through Paraguay, in the provinces of Formosa and Chaco, where there is production of cassava, corn, and sugar cane.
In one area, the locust cloud reached 10 km in length. One square kilometer of the cloud holds at least 40 million animals. They can eat pastures in just one day: the equivalent of 2,000 cows.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon