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[Ukrainian Farmland in Crisis: Locust Plague Rages, Potentially Adding Uncertainty to Global Grain and Oil Markets] ⑴ As of July 30, southern Ukraine is experiencing a massive locust plague, severely threatening sunflowers and other crops. ⑵ Officials and producers say the conflict has rendered traditional pest control methods inaccessible, primarily contributing to the spread of the locust plague. ⑶ Locusts can devastate vast tracts of farmland in a matter of days. They often breed along rivers or in uncultivated areas, making effective control nearly impossible along the front lines. ⑷ This summer's record-breaking high temperatures, the inability to use aerial control, and the lack of birds, natural predators of locusts in combat zones, have exacerbated the situation. ⑸ Local and government officials declined to disclose the extent of the locust plague or the extent of the losses. ⑹ Ukraine is the world's largest exporter of sunflower oil and, before the conflict, was the fifth-largest wheat exporter. ⑺ In the Zaporizhia region, locust swarms have covered roads, fields, and bushes, with farmers reporting they have destroyed up to one-third of their sunflower crop. ⑻ Oleg Tormatov, a resident of Kushukhum village in Zaporizhia Oblast, described how a large swarm of locusts first flew over, and the next day, smaller "foot soldiers" of locusts swarmed in, devouring all the low-lying crops. ⑼ Ukraine's Chief Plant Quarantine Inspector, Vadim Chaykovsky, cited high temperatures, abandoned land, and geopolitical conflicts as the causes. ⑽ Denis Marchuk, Vice Chairman of UAC, Ukraine's largest agricultural producers' union, stated that the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam two years ago created vast swamps that provided a breeding ground for locusts. ⑾ If this locust plague is not effectively controlled, it could further impact global food and edible oil supplies, sparking market concerns.