Plant protection departments at all levels in north China's Hebei Province have been closely surveying locust emergence and infestation in the province and prepared to fight a possible autumn locust plague.

Autumn locusts are estimated to affect 3.4 million mu (some 226,660 hectares) of farmland in Hebei, said local officials.

This summer, the province has suffered a serious plague of oriental migratory locusts, and a total of 4.15 million mu was assaulted. The locusts were brought under control in 2.6 million mu (some 173,330 hectares) of farmland.

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2003)