Floods inflict heavy loss on rice crop

Pre-monsoon and fresh spells of heavy downpour in the main rice-growing areas of Sindh are estimated to have damaged nearly 20 per cent of the standing crop, while in three districts of Balochistan, reports could not be compiled as flood waters have not yet receded, says a report compiled by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL).

The damage due to floods caused by heavy rains is also expected to hamper rice production by nearly 100,000 tonnes this year and the estimate might swell, said Ali Baksh, a resident of Jaffarababad.

Residents of the three districts of Balochistan rely heavily on the rice crop as a staple food and fodder, said Bakhsh, depicting a grim situation of the area. The three districts namely Naseerabad, Jaffarabad and Jhalmagsi in Balochistan are solely farming districts and their people poverty-ridden. These people are now left high and dry at the mercy of the elements and concerned authorities for food, shelter and medical relief and their miseries presently cannot be comprehended, said Baksh.

Rice in Sindh was targeted to be sown on 1.4 million acres while in the three districts of Balochistan, it was to be sown on half a million acres; overall targeted cultivation was 2.5 million hectares with an estimated harvest of 5.7 million tons for 2007-08.