GOVERNMENTS spent about $50 million to control locusts this season and managed to save more than $950 million worth of crops.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator Joe Ludwig welcomed the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences report which showed control methods saved crops.

"Experts feared the 2010-11 Australian plague locust season would be the worst in 75 years, with a record number of egg beds reported across NSW, Victoria and South Australia," Senator Ludwig said.

He said the report found the federal and state governments' response to the situation had helped reduce crop and pasture losses.

"Governments have invested around $50 million in controlling the spring locust plague. This study shows that as a consequence a total of more than $950 million of crop and pasture losses were avoided," he said.

Senator Ludwig acknowledged that locusts still managed to inflict significant damage across affected areas.

"The recent good rainfall across inland eastern Australia set up ideal conditions to help further generations of locusts to survive and breed across large areas of the country," he said.

"The threat is not over. Locust generations will continue to develop at least until the weather starts to cool."