The Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) stated in its preliminary assessment that flash floods in the country’s largest agricultural producer, Punjab, have severely damaged thousands of acres of crops, particularly rice, maize, sugarcane, and cotton.
The PBF claimed that around 60% of the province’s rice crops and 30% of its sugarcane have been lost. Cotton production is also expected to fall short of its target by 35% for the year.
However, farmers warn that assessing crop loss, particularly rice, is premature until floodwaters recede. Waqas Ahmad, a farmer and miller, dismissed these figures as exaggerated, stating that a proper assessment could only be made once the floodwaters had receded in the affected areas. He emphasized that it is impossible to assess the loss of the rice crop, which grows in water, at this stage.
He further warned that such figures could create panic in the market, prompting people to hoard rice and other essential items, which could lead to inflation.
The PBF described the scale of the damage as unprecedented, especially in Central Punjab. “Such destruction due to flooding has never been witnessed before,” the forum said, adding that the province is facing both an economic upheaval and a humanitarian crisis.
Punjab is responsible for 68% of Pakistan’s total annual food grain production. This year’s monsoon rains have been particularly devastating, compounding the damage caused by months of extreme weather.
Provincial Disaster Management Authority Punjab said on Wednesday that over 3,300 villages and 3.36 million people have been affected by severe flooding in the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers.
