Pakistan is experiencing its worst 'locust invasion' in 20 years and China is reportedly lending a helping hand to the country.?
According to BBC, China could be deploying as many as 100,000 ducks to Pakistan to help them fight the war against crop-eating locusts.?But what if the ducks come infested with coronavirus? Is it really worth it to get rid of one problem by inviting an even bigger one?
Pakistan's locust problem is so devastating that the country has announced a state of emergency. According to agricultural experts, one single duck can consume up to 200 locusts per day and that is significantly more effective than using pesticides.
A senior researcher with the Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lu Lizhi told Bloomberg that the birds are "biological weapons". He also said that chickens can be used for the same purpose but they can only eat up to 70 locusts in a day, making ducks a better alternative.
He also spoke about how since ducks remain in groups, it is easier to manage them as compared to chickens. Reports add that once a trial is successfully completed in China's western Xinjiang province, the country will send the duck army to the affected areas of Pakistan --?Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab provinces.
However, on the other hand, a professor from China Agriculture University,?Zhang Long expressed concerns regarding the ducks' survival in the neighbouring country's temperature. He told Pakistani media, "Ducks rely on water, but in Pakistan's desert areas, the temperature is very high."
He also mentioned that even though using ducks to get rid of locusts is an ancient practice, it is yet to be made part of government programs and is still in its exploring state.?