These aircraft, all Chinese made Yun-5 planes, would begin the operation from June 18, starting from Inner Mongolia where locusts have caused the most severe damage, according to the North China Civil Aviation Administration.

Zhao Yukui, an official with the administration, said that since the current locust outbreak began early this summer, a total of 1.47 million hectares of farmland had been afflicted, 0.27 million more than last year. In some worst-hit places, the density of locusts has reached up to 5,000 per square meter.

"In those places, take just one step and you could trample on more than one hundred locusts," said Zhao.

The Yun-5 aircraft is believed to be one of the most powerful and effective weapons in the locust-eradication campaign. It can clear hundreds of hectares of land in a single day.

The cost of the operation using Yun-5 aircraft was also comparatively low at some 2,000 yuan (about US$250) per hour, only one third of helicopter operations and even cheaper than using manpower, Zhao said.

At present, some of the Yun-5 planes to be used in the upcomingoperation are being brought in from northwest China's Shaanxi Province, central China's Hubei province and also northeast China,said Zhao.

( June 14, 2002)