Water and electricity shortage to mar mango crop

The president of Mango Growers Association Pakistan S. Zahid Hussain Gardezi has said that the closure of water canals at this juncture will inflict a tremendous blow on the agricultural economy especially horticulture. The flowering period of mango orchards is ending and the fruit is setting on the mango trees.
Mango orchards need mandatory watering at this stage of fruit development and any divergence from this exercise will rob the growers of their yearly income.
He said the citrus orchards also would be affected if deprived of watering at this moment, as the weather is becoming warmer. Gardezi said that much of the wheat crop is on the verge of its crucial last watering need for better yield. The ill-conceived water shortage and the ill-timed closure of water canals will bear negative consequences on agriculture sector.
He said that the canals had been closed for more than a month in January last for annual dredging yet no planning was made to conserve waters for the current elevated requirements. Gardezi said that the elongated periods of load shedding of electricity and the canals running dry simultaneously have left no options for the growers but to prepare for fiasco apart from the other problems confronting the common man. He said that agriculture is gradually becoming a looser trade for growers and if this tendency persists, Pakistan may loose the advantage of an agrarian economy which is much need to address global food shortage problems.
He demanded that either load shedding be exempted in agrarian areas to enable growers to use their tube-wells or canals should be immediately run so that the farmers do not suffer dual catastrophe. He demanded that immaculate planning about water shortages should be made prior to such eventualities to alleviate problems of the agriculture sector, as loss to agriculture crop will disrupt all positive indicators of economic growth in Pakistan as is often declared of becoming healthier.
He demanded that there is a dire need to plan conservation of water for irrigation on scientific lines and demanded excessive funding to implement drip and other contemporary irrigation technology at the doorsteps of the farmers at nominal cost. He said water has now become complex web of factors that will determine prosperity and economic stability. Eventually lack of access to water will augment poverty and aid unrest.