Russia warns of potential locust invasion across five regions

Russian agricultural authorities have warned of a potential locust invasion across several key farming regions, citing elevated overwintering populations detected during early monitoring efforts. According to the Rosselkhoznadzor and regional agriculture ministries, producers in Chechnya, Khakassia, Dagestan, as well as the Volgograd and Saratov regions, face heightened risks of infestation in the upcoming growing season.

Officials said surveillance data indicate that locust populations have survived the winter in significant numbers, prompting authorities to expand the scale of planned pest control treatments for 2026. The move is aimed at preventing widespread crop losses in affected areas, where agriculture plays a central economic role.

In other regions, including Yakutia and Tatarstan, the situation remains uncertain and will largely depend on weather patterns in the coming months. However, experts have cautioned that current forecasts point to an unfavorable outlook, with the potential for locust populations to reach dangerous levels if conditions support their development.