KARACHI:
Sargodha is known for its rich agricultural produce of sugarcane, maize, wheat and rice. It is also called the California of Pakistan because of its rich orange farms. However, with changes and intensities in climate, increased encroachment and changing economic conditions, the orange farms have suffered significant losses. Since the pandemic struck, many orange factories in the district closed because of Covid restrictions and rising inflation. Prices of high-quality fertilisers surged, which compelled farmers to buy cheaper alternatives. This negatively affected the size and quality of the oranges.
Unexpected rainfall and storms have destroyed the crops before harvest. Rain causes the citrus to be waterlogged, which causes moulding and reduces the shelf life of the oranges. Also, the accumulation of rainwater in the farming areas has made many farms uncultivable. This coupled with the increase in the construction of housing societies and properties has caused the erasure of entire farms. Consequently, the farmers have been compelled to sell their farms because of poor business conditions and migrate elsewhere to sustain their livelihoods.
It is disheartening to witness the sudden surge in real estate properties and the decrease in orange farms across the district. Many of these real estate projects are unaffordable for the locals and have robbed people of their livelihoods. Some projects have stopped mid-way, which has made the land entirely useless. Considering that oranges are a major export product of Pakistan, the government must facilitate the orange factories and farmers. Within the last two years, many factory workers were dismissed after factories suffered losses or closed down. If the government fails to take timely measures farms and factories of other items will also suffer the same fate. The government must subsidise quality fertilisers to enable better production conditions in the different farms and factories. This will also improve exports, which may help the economy.
Momna Ahmad
Sargodha
Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2022.
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