RHB remains cautious of the plantation sector but names Wilmar a counter to look out for

SINGAPORE (July 22): Africa, India and Pakistan – key crop producing nations – have been facing their worst locust attacks following the heavy rains there since Cyclones Mekunu and Luban hit in 2018.

Specifically, this is Kenya’s worst locust attack in 70 years, while it is the worst for Pakistan and India in three decades. India and Pakistan’s biggest ever locust attack occurred in 1993 when 172 locust swarms damaged some 310,500 hectares of crops and vegetation.

The current upsurge is “more serious”, with preliminary estimates showing over 2,000 locust swarms entering India between May 2019 and February 2020. These swarms have been spreading rapidly to at least nine states.