Recent rains have caused damage to 70 per cent to 90 per cent crops in 15 districts of Sindh, over millions of acres of land, and yet, the Centre has done little to address the situation, said Sindh Agriculture Minister Muhammad Ismail Rahoo on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, Rahoo urged the Centre to impose an agricultural emergency in the province.
Sharing details of agricultural produce destroyed by rains and ensuing floods over the past couple of weeks, he said cotton, rice, chilli, and other crops in most areas of Sindh have been damaged.
"In Sukkur, 70 per cent cotton produce has been lost, besides 35 per cent in Sanghar, 21 per cent in Naushero Feroze, 20 per cent in Thatta, 50 per cent in Sujawal, 75 per cent in Tando Allahyar and as much in Mirpurkhas, 80 per cent in Umerkot and as much in Jamshoro, 15 per cent in Hyderabad and 30 per cent in Badin," said Rahoo.
Moreover, he added, nine per cent of sugarcane produce - cultivated on 740,208 acres of land in Sindh - has been damaged in Naushero Feroze, 18 per cent in Badin, 50 per cent in Tando Allahyar and five per cent in Tando Muhammad Khan.
Rahoo said that rains had completely wiped out tomato crop in Umerkot, Mirpurkhas and Badin, while destroying 70 per cent banana produce in Tando Allahyar.
Further sharing details of the extent of damage, he said 15 per cent rice crop was damaged in Thatta, 40 per cent in Badin and 20 per cent in Tando Muhammad Khan.
"And it is because of the poor policies of the federal government that farmers are left worried [in the aftermath of rain damage]," he claimed.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 16th, 2020.
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