PESHAWAR: Rains and floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have devastated wheat, tobacco, and chana crops, raising fears of decline in yield, according to the Kisan Board and the Agriculture Department.
The crops were nearing harvest in several districts, including Chitral, Charsadda, Buner, Swat, Dir, Malakand, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, and Kohat, when the continuous downpour and floods struck.
Kisan Board’s provincial president, Rizwanullah Khan, stated that the rains and winds have severely impacted the wheat crop, potentially reducing yield. He revealed that over 1.9 million acres of land in the province are under wheat cultivation, with over 900,000 acres affected by the adverse weather.
Khan further elaborated that tobacco crops in Mardan, Swabi, Buner, and Mansehra have also suffered due to the rains. The cold weather brought on by the downpour has additionally hampered tobacco crop yield.
The Agriculture Department acknowledges the recent rains’ impact but highlights the lack of complete data from all districts, making it difficult to determine the full extent of the damage.
Deputy Director of the Meteorological Department, Dr. Muhammad Fahim, expressed concerns about the chana crop in southern districts, which was also nearing harvest and facing similar threats from the rains. Like wheat, chana crops are susceptible to rain damage, and a decline in yield is a significant concern.
The devastation to the crops has caused considerable anxiety among farmers, who fear substantial financial losses due to the reduced yield. Calls have been made for the government to intervene and implement measures to support the farmers and minimize their losses.
