Torrential rains and surging floods have inundated vast swathes of farmland in Pakistan, destroying ready-to-harvest crops and raising fears of a looming food crisis coupled with soaring inflation, Dawn reported.
Punjab’s “Food Basket” Submerged
The floods, which struck northeastern Punjab last week, have submerged hundreds of villages, schools, and health centres in Pakistan’s largest and most fertile province. Officials said more than 2 million people have been affected, with over 700,000 evacuated, while at least 50 people have lost their lives.
Livestock have been washed away and crops ruined across Punjab, often described as the country’s primary food basket. Floodwaters are now moving south towards the Indus River, threatening further devastation in Sindh in the coming days.
UN Raises Alarm on Climate Change
After visiting Hafizabad district, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mo Yahya, said, “This isn’t normal — yet it’s becoming the new normal”. Posting videos of submerged rice fields, he warned that farmers face “months without crops or income until the next planting season.”
Calling the floods a stark reminder of climate change, Yahya added, “This is only the beginning. More intense rains are expected in the coming weeks, and as the water flows further south, it will displace more families and destroy more livelihoods.”
Local farmers and associations echoed the warnings. Waqar Ahmad, Secretary General of the Kisan Board of Pakistan, said the catastrophic floods have destroyed rice, sugarcane, and sesame crops across Punjab.
“Rice has been hit the hardest — nearly 70 per cent of the standing crop has been wiped out in key rice-producing districts,” farmer leader Rizvi told Anadolu.
The damage is expected to drive up food prices nationwide. Waheed Ahmad, head of the Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exports Association, warned that crop losses in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will fuel inflation in staples like vegetables and fruits.
He urged the government to lift levies on imports from Afghanistan and Iran to prevent shortages and stabilise prices. (Inputs from ANI)
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