Drying crops: Cultivation of red chillies becomes difficult

KUNRI: Acute shortage of irrigation water is affecting the crop of red chillies which is spread across thousands of acres in district Umerkot. Growers say the deterioration situation might cut the production yield by 50 per cent and immediate measures are needed to protect the crop. Red chilli crop is the largest source of income for people in the area and a bad crop would create severe economic problems and increase unemployment. People have demanded of the government to take urgent steps to ensure proper supply of irrigation water to the area to protect the drying crop.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2011.