Lahore: The devastating floods in Punjab have submerged more than 1.3 million acres of farmland, destroying Kharif crops and displacing nearly two million people across the province. The rising waters from the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers have inundated over 2,000 villages, forcing 760,000 residents and nearly 516,000 cattle to relocate.
According to satellite imagery of 24 affected districts, approximately 3,661 square kilometers (4.7% of the total land area) remain underwater. The situation has raised serious concerns about a potential food inflation crisis in Pakistan.
🌾 Massive Crop Destruction
The floods have wreaked havoc on vital crops such as cotton, rice, sugarcane, corn, and vegetables. The Pakistan Business Forum revealed that 35% of Punjab’s cotton crop has been wiped out, with losses soaring to 40-50% in Bahawalnagar, the province’s largest cotton-producing district.
Kissan Board leader Akhtar Farooq Meo stated that farmers have suffered damages worth Rs 536 billion, as cotton, rice, sesame, maize, and fodder crops were severely destroyed. The shortage of perishable items in many towns may lead to an impending food supply crisis.
🍚 Conflicting Reports on Rice Crop Loss
While the Pakistan Business Forum claimed that 60% of the rice crop was destroyed in central and southern Punjab, exporters contested this figure. They clarified that the Basmati-growing regions (except Pasrur, Sialkot) remain largely safe. Non-Basmati crops along the Sutlej River had already been harvested in late July and early August, though some hybrid varieties suffered damage.
🐄 Threat to Livestock & Textile Industry
The floods have created a severe shortage of fodder, endangering Pakistan’s livestock sector — a key contributor to the national GDP. At the same time, the collapse of cotton supplies has alarmed the textile industry, which accounts for over 50% of Pakistan’s export revenues.
Chairman of the Cotton Ginners Forum, Ihsanul Haq, warned that reduced cotton supplies have already forced ginning factories and textile mills to shut down. Adding to the crisis, reports suggest a virus outbreak in certain cotton varieties, which could further reduce crop yields.
⚠️ Rising Fears of Food Inflation
Experts are now warning of a sharp increase in domestic grain prices, which could make Pakistani rice uncompetitive in global markets. Meanwhile, cotton shortages pose a grave risk to Pakistan’s already struggling export sector.
