First case of Fall Armyworm in Egypt threatens crops, vegetable exports

Egypt has reported its first case of Fall Armyworm (FAW), which can cause significant damage to crops, the Agriculture Ministry announced in a statement on Thursday. The case was reportedly detected in a maize field in a village in Kom Ombo, Aswan. The Agricultural Pesticide Committee (APC) is asking farmers to take precautions and use certain insecticides to try to prevent an infestation. It is possible that its presence in Egypt’s crops may affect export restrictions on Egyptian vegetables, the head of the Farmers’ Syndicate has said.