Flash floods in Punjab, Pakistan’s largest agricultural province, have destroyed thousands of acres of farmland, causing major losses to key crops and raising fears of a food supply crisis, according to preliminary assessments reported by Bloomberg.
Initial estimates suggest that 60 percent of rice crops and 30 percent of sugarcane in Punjab have been wiped out, while cotton production is expected to fall short by 35 percent of its annual target, the Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) confirmed.
Ahmad Jawad, PBF’s chief organizer, said the scale of destruction in Central Punjab is unprecedented. “Such destruction due to flooding has never been witnessed before. The province is facing both an economic upheaval and a humanitarian crisis,” he stated.
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Punjab contributes nearly 68 percent of Pakistan’s annual food grain output, making the losses a major blow to the country’s food security. This year’s heavy monsoon rains have compounded the impact of months of extreme weather conditions.
According to Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, floods have already claimed more than 850 lives and displaced over two million people nationwide.
The Ministry of Finance has warned that the disaster could worsen fiscal pressures and disrupt food supply chains, while the Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more heavy rainfall this week, heightening the risk of further flooding.
