Maize prices in DR Congo triple as 63,000 hectares of crops are ravaged

The UN reports that crop-destroying armyworms have ravaged 63,000 hectares of maize in south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since December. It's caused maize prices to triple. A 25 kilogram sack of maize has risen from $10 to $30. Armyworm moths lay eggs in maize plants and the caterpillars have been known to march en masse across the land. Countries with confirmed outbreaks could also face import bans on agricultural products. Cases have already been reported in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique. The outbreak in the DRC is the first evidence it has spread into central Africa.