Climate Change threatens 70% of Punjab’s wheat production

MULTAN: The wheat crop is being severely affected by unusual weather changes in southern Punjab, including Multan, due to which there is a fear of reduced wheat production per acre.

According to the Meteorological Department, the temperature was recorded 2.7 degrees Celsius higher than normal in the month of March.

March is considered a very sensitive phase for the wheat crop because during this time the grain undergoes its completion process, however, due to the sudden increase in heat intensity in the month of March in southern Punjab, the size of the wheat grain has remained small due to the premature emergence of the wheat stalk and after the emergence of the stalk, unexpected rains and hailstorms in the first week of April have affected the wheat crop planted on an area of ​​210,000 acres in southern Punjab.

Farmers say that due to the meteorological conditions, even the production of 30 to 35 maunds of wheat per acre seems difficult.

Farmers are currently extremely worried about the losses caused by climate change as well as the rising prices of diesel.
The cost of harvesting wheat per acre has almost doubled compared to last year, while farmers do not yet know what the market price of wheat will be.

South Punjab produces about 70 percent of the province’s total wheat production, and the effects of climate change in this region are creating new food security threats.

Farmers say that the cost of production has already increased due to increasing weather intensity, now the damage to the crop is creating more difficulties for them, the affected farmers are waiting for government assistance and an urgent survey.