Egypt reports no economic harm from fall armyworm, progresses village industrialization plan

Egyptian agricultural officials stated the fall armyworm has not harmed maize crops, while a ministerial meeting advanced a village industrialization initiative.

• Dr. Ahmed Rezk, head of agricultural services, said the fall armyworm, present in Egypt since 2019, has caused no economic losses to maize or other crops due to monitoring and control.
• Rezk said a national campaign against the pest has been ongoing for one month, and proposals to use drones for spraying are not economically feasible now.
• Rezk warned that the greater cane borer is more dangerous than the fall armyworm, but current infection rates remain below economically harmful levels.
• Ministers of agriculture, local development, and industry held a meeting with the head of the Egyptian Industries Federation and other officials to review field surveys and select villages for small and medium enterprise development.