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Following widespread rains in the west and the centre , planting are now well underway. Following first rains in the extreme south-west in mid-April, which intensified in early and mid-May, rains progressed significantly over the main producing areas in early June. Precipitation stopped in the east in mid-June but remained generally widespread in the centre and the west. By 20 June, cumulative rainfall was generally above normal and above last year’s level (exceeding 1995 levels by more than 200 mm in Doundiou and almost 100 mm in Gaya and Madaoua). Rains resumed in the east in early July and remained widespread elsewhere. Plantings are underway and recently planted coarse grains are emerging or even tillering in the extreme south. Dry plantings are underway in areas of Tahoua and Tillabery departments which have not received rains.
A Desert Locust swarms was seen on 23 May in the Aïr and low densities of adults were present at a few other places nearby and in Tamesna. During the first dekad of June, solitary adults were present in the south-east near Diffa. During surveys carried out in the north-east on 8-18 June, low densities of solitary adults were seen north and west of Bilma and Aney. About 50 hectares were treated at Aney. There were unconfirmed reports of high concentrations of locusts in several other oases further north. If confirmed, these may suggest another southerly and easterly movement of adults from the springs breeding areas of the central Sahara towards the summer areas of the Sahel. In the south, mature adults survived near Diffa and there were new reports of adults near Maradi. Groups of adults and a few small swarms are expected to apear from the north, mature and lay in wadis west of the Air Mountains and in Tamesna if rainfall occurs. Hatching and increasing numbers of hoppers are expected to appear although infestations will be dispersed and difficult to detect at the beginning of the summer. Adults present in the Bilma and Djado areas are likely to continue moving eastwards towards northern Chad.
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