BEIJING — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on May 24 urged local authorities to take concrete measures to prevent and control the crop-eating pest fall armyworm.

Local agricultural authorities should give top priority to the prevention and control of fall armyworm to ensure stable grain production.

Fall armyworm was first detected in China in January 2019 and has spread across China’s southern and southwestern areas, affecting 92,267 hectares of farmland in 14 provincial-level regions including Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou and Henan.

The pest has wreaked havoc in many countries, leading to a 20-30 percent reduction in corn and sugar cane output in parts of Africa and Asia. Some areas even saw complete crop failures.

The ministry ordered close monitoring and early warning in provinces that are likely to be invaded by the pest.

It aims to see an output reduction of no more than 5 percent in corn-growing regions in North China.

The ministry also urged efforts to strengthen education and publicity about the pest, improve basic infrastructure, intensify international cooperation, and establish long-term mechanism for preventing and controlling the pest.