Rapid infestations and fungal diseases are raising alarm among growers, prompting calls for government intervention.
HYDERABAD:
A sudden and aggressive wave of pest attacks has taken over mango orchards across Sindh, leaving growers reeling and struggling to find effective control measures.
The alarm was raised at a weekly meeting of the Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB), where farmers described the infestations as rapid and overwhelming, often leaving little time for mitigation. The session was chaired by SAB Chairman Mahmood Nawaz Shah, who highlighted the increasing vulnerability of orchards under changing environmental conditions.
Participants noted that while farmers are generally familiar with managing pests such as grasshoppers, thrips and jasids, the current outbreak, along with fungal diseases such as anthracnose and mango malformation, has proven to be particularly destructive. Anthracnose, widely recognized as one of the most damaging diseases of mangoes worldwide, can cause serious losses both before and after harvest, especially in poorly managed orchards.
Beyond mangoes, farmers expressed concern about the broader impact of climate variability, particularly El Niño, on key crops such as cotton and rice. They warned that excessively high temperatures during critical growth stages, such as grain formation, can lead to crop losses and significant yield declines.
Calling for coordinated action, the board urged the Sindh agriculture department and academic institutions to collaborate with farmers in studying weather patterns and pest behaviour. They highlighted the need for data-driven solutions to determine how temperature and humidity influence outbreaks and develop timely preventive and curative strategies.
The meeting also underlined the urgency of developing heat- and drought-resistant seeds, as temperatures in the region have already exceeded 45°C and are expected to continue rising, increasing evapotranspiration and water demand for crops.
Farmers further highlighted growing economic pressures, citing falling market prices for vegetables and fruits – including tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, okra and melon – along with rising production costs driven by repeated increases in fuel prices. They warned that these combined challenges are causing large financial losses for producers.
To counter these trends, the board called on the government to promote value addition in horticulture, allowing surplus production to be processed and exported. Without such measures, they warned, export potential will remain underutilized.
The meeting was attended by several key members including Dr Zulfiqar Yousfani, Bashir Nizamani, Syed Nadeem Shah, Aslam Mari and Manroor Soomro among others.
