EXCLUSIVE: Fall armyworm detected in KZN
The KZN Department of Agriculture has confirmed exclusively to Newswatch that the fall armyworm has been detected in the province.
The department says a farmer in the Tugela District discovered the worm and notified authorities.
A maize farmer in the uMkhanyakude District has also found the worm.
The fall armyworm eats away at vegetation and has been described as a threat to food security. It's already been detected in parts of Gauteng and Limpopo.
Crop scientists say that there's a strong chance that the fall armyworm in KZN could spread - as it's been found in two areas.
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Agriculture's Khaye Nkwanyane says the spread of the destructive worm species has been controlled on the two farms it's been found at.