Pakistan’s prized mango harvest hit by water scarcity

MIRPUR KHAS, Pakistan: Mango farmers in Pakistan say production of the prized fruit has fallen by up to 40 percent in some areas because of high temperatures and water shortages in a country identified as one of the most vulnerable to climate change. The arrival of mango season in Pakistan is eagerly anticipated, with around two dozen varieties arriving through the hot, humid summers. This year, however, temperatures rose sharply in March — months earlier than usual — followed by heatwaves that damaged crops and depleted water levels in canals farmers depend on for irrigation. “Usually I pick 24 truckloads of mangoes... this year I have only got 12,” said Fazle Elahi, counting the bags lined up by his farm. “We are doomed.” The country is among the world’s top exporters of mangoes, harvesting nearly two million tons annually across southern parts of Punjab and Sindh. The total harvest is yet to be measured, but production is already short by at least 20 to 40 percent in most ...