Report: Murtaza Zaib Zehri
In the recent season, untimely rains and severe cold have caused severe damage to agriculture in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan and its surroundings.
These climatic changes are not only affecting the economy of the local farmers but also seriously damaging the agricultural production of the region.
Last year in the spring, unusual rains and sudden cold snap caused severe damage to agriculture in and around Quetta. Normally, the temperature drops during winters in Quetta, but this time the extreme cold and untimely rains have proved particularly harmful for agricultural crops.
This climatic change has adversely affected the labor of local farmers.
Abdullah, a 53-year-old local farmer from Hana Orak, a recreational area on the outskirts of Quetta, said that in the spring of last year, Quetta experienced weather that he had never seen in his life.
According to Abdullah, during this period there was first hail which damaged the yellow potato and apple blossoms. Hailstorm and severe cold weather destroyed the crops and severely damaged the agricultural production of the local farmers.
Abdullah added that not only his yellow potato crop but also his apple crop has been affected due to this unusual weather.
Due to the poor condition of flowers, there has been a marked decline in fruit production, which has also adversely affected their financial conditions. This situation wasted a great deal of his life’s work and he had to face severe hardships.
Abdullah and other local farmers say that this situation is very difficult for them and they hope that the government and related institutions will take immediate steps to help them so that they can deal with this agricultural crisis and improve their economic conditions. can
**Abdul Kareem, another local farmer,** shared his experiences saying that the heavy rains and floods last spring badly affected his farming life.
Abdul Kareem said that his tube boring was completely destroyed due to heavy rains and floods. At the same time, their solar panels were also swept away by the floodwaters, further hampering their farming activities.
Abdul Karim explained in detail that as a result of this loss, he had to bear a financial loss of lakhs of rupees. He said with regret that this loss is so great that he cannot compensate it even in his whole life.
Expressing his feelings, Abdul Kareem said that he had passed through this garden, and this disaster has shaken the foundation of his life.
According to them, floods and heavy rains have not only damaged their agricultural resources but also severely affected their daily life.
Abdul Kareem appealed to the government and related institutions to provide immediate assistance so that they can get out of this crisis and revive their agricultural activities.
Such assistance can improve their financial situation and help them avoid possible losses in the future.
According to the Meteorological Department, apple, yellow potato, and other horticultural crops have been severely affected due to unexpected rains and sudden rise in temperature.
The rains have worsened the condition of the crops, causing the crops to rot and rot.
The apple crop is an important part of Quetta’s agriculture, but this year’s untimely rains and cold have severely affected its production.
The condition of flowers and fruits on apple trees has deteriorated, due to which there has been a marked decrease in the yield of the apple crop. Local farmers reported that their apple crops broke and rotted before maturity, causing financial loss.
Similarly, the yellow potato crop has also been severely affected. The yellow potato crop is ready during autumn and the growth of the crop has been hampered due to the severe effects of cold weather.
The roots of yellow potato have been damaged by severe cold, resulting in a significant reduction in crop yield.
Untimely rains and severe cold have also caused destruction in the gardens of Quetta. The condition of various types of fruit trees in the orchards has deteriorated due to unpredictable weather conditions.
There has been an increase in the number of blossom leaves and fruit rot, which has adversely affected orchard production. Also, the wet soil in the orchards is causing rotting of tree roots, which is detrimental to the overall health of the crop.
The government has taken some steps to deal with the agricultural crisis keeping in mind the impact of climate change. The Agriculture Department has visited the affected areas and held meetings with farmers to assess their plight.
In addition, the government has announced further activation of crop insurance schemes for farmers to cover losses resulting from natural calamities.
Untimely rains and severe cold weather have caused severe damage to agricultural production in Quetta, which is adversely affecting the lives of local farmers. Actions taken at the government and local level are important, but more action is needed to permanently address these issues.
To meet the challenges of climate change, concerted efforts and innovative strategies are necessary to ensure the survival of the agricultural sector and the welfare of farmers.