With much of the agricultural land now flooded, farmers are facing increased production costs and reduced yields.
Rescuers continue their search operations in Dera Ghazi Khan. Around 120 of them are taking part in relief operations amid monsoon rains and floods. Photo: Express
LAHORE:
Punjab’s fertile farmlands, once bathed in the golden fragrance of ripe crops, now present a scene of devastation after recent floods.
According to the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), more than 1.441 million acres of agricultural land spread across 27 districts of the province have been affected. Major losses were reported from Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Chiniot, Kasur, Okara, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot and Narowal, where crops like rice, cotton, sugarcane and vegetables were completely destroyed.
Experts say the floods washed away the fertile top layer of soil, damaging its structure, nutrients and salinity balance. Former Punjab Director General of Agriculture Dr Anjum Ali Butter explained that flood waters deposit salts in the soil, which hampers root growth. “The use of organic fertilizers and the cultivation of legumes are now necessary to restore soil fertility,” insisted Dr Butter.
Progressive farmer Aamir Hayat Bhandara revealed that earlier, one bag of DAP fertilizer was enough for one crop, but today three or four might be required, significantly increasing production costs. “The government needs to conduct soil testing at the meso level to design area-specific recovery strategies,” suggested Bhandara.
In several areas affected by flooding, thick layers of mud and sand have been deposited on the land. Farmers complain that removing these deposits is expensive and technically difficult. One such farmer, Rana Mubashir Hassan, estimated that restoring a single acre could cost between Rs 50,000 and Rs 100,000, an amount unaffordable for small farmers.
In Sharaqpur, the 15-acre guava orchard of another farmer, Chaudhry Muhammad Yaqoob, was completely destroyed. “I had invested around Rs1.5 million and now I am facing a loss of Rs3.5 to Rs4 million,” lamented Yaqoob. Similarly, Mehr Javed, a farmer from Kasur, reported that low-lying areas were still inundated with water, thereby delaying sowing of Rabi seasonal vegetables.
According to an initial report by the Crop Reporting Service, out of the 115,000 acres of land under vegetable cultivation in Punjab, 51,000 acres were damaged, with Lahore, Sahiwal and Faisalabad divisions being the worst affected. The vegetable supply districts of Kasur and Sheikhupura, which supply to Lahore, also suffered heavy losses. Several villages along the Ravi River in Sharaqpur remain flooded.
In southern Punjab, mango orchards and, in Lahore division, guava plantations were particularly affected. A total of 71,467 acres of orchards were affected across Punjab, including 64,480 acres of mango trees. In Multan division alone, 38,355 acres of mango plantations were submerged. According to Dr. Butter, stagnant water accelerates the spread of fungi and bacteria that damage tree roots, requiring five to eight years for complete healing.
Agricultural experts estimate that complete soil rehabilitation could take two to three years. Many even suggest the use of gypsum, potassium and sulfate fertilizers, as well as green manures like mung bean or berseem, to help restore fertility.
Farmers, however, believe that financial assistance from the government is insufficient. Rana Mubashir Hassan pointed out that the announced assistance of Rs 20,000 per acre was insufficient and could not even cover the cost of cleaning the land, let alone replanting.
On the other hand, experts attribute the devastation to climate change and poor water management. This year’s rainfall intensity was 50 percent higher than normal, and weaknesses in the canal system, coupled with the sudden release of water from upstream dams, made the situation worse.
According to a United Nations report, around 2.2 million hectares of land in Pakistan remains submerged, posing a serious threat to future food security.
