Lahore: According to Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Pakistan is experiencing major salinity in its soil which has caused a third of agricultural land to be left uncultivable.
As a result of this salinity, the country is incurring Rs55b crop losses annually. Regional Chairman of FPCCI Standing Committee on Horticulture Exports, Ahmad Jawad stated annual crop losses from salinity were in the region of Rs15b to Rs55b. He added that these losses are attributable to the seepages that have creeped into the irrigation network alongside a lack of natural drainage presence which has led to a rise in groundwater level.
Jawad highlighting a survey carried out by United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had said that re-forestation of the salt-affected soil could be carried out if site preparation was done properly and an improvement in nursery and plantation techniques happens.
Punjab has 50pc of the cultivable land affected by major salinity, followed by 40pc in Sindh and 9pc in Sindh, said Jawad.
