Rahim Yar Khan: Climate change, irrigation water shortage and adequate climatic conditions for pest attack reduced handle performance up to 45PC this year. The most affected variety is Chaunnsa, which is also called Samar Bahisht in the areas of Rahim Yar Khan and fine.
Similarly, the impact of the Iran-Israel war has also completely suspended the export of the variety of Sindhri mango, a favorite in Iran.
There are many mango orchards in Rahimabad, Bhong, Jamaldinwali, Sheikh Wahan, Yousafabad, Mianwali Qureshian, Sardar Garh, Zahirpir, Khanbela and Taranda Muhammad Pannah in the Rahim Yar Khan district, where the fruit is cultivated in more than 60,000 acres of earth.
According to the development authority of small and medium -sized companies (Smeda), there are about 2,300 to 2,500 medium and large size orchards that grow in Rahim Yar Khan and there are about 2,300 producers in the area. Some sources give the estimate of the total mango production of Rahim Yar Khan only as 250,000 to 300,000 tons.
The performance is estimated at 45pc less this season: the Iran-Israel war affects exports
Although the owners of the mango garden mainly have the variety of Chaunnsa, which is sweeter, delicious and popular among most people in the country, there are also other varieties, including Dussehri, Malda, Lahotiya, Anwar Ratol, Langra, Sanglafia, Tota, Kala Chauna, Sufaid Chaunnsa and Desi. The performance of Dussehri, Sindhri and Anwar Ratol is lower by up to 30 percent, but the most affected variety is Chaunse, says Jam Farooq Ahmed Ganga, owner of a mango garden in Yousufabad in Rahim Yar Khan along the national road.
Talking with SunriseHe says that last year the performance of the mango was relatively better, but it is 40 to 50pc less than normal this year.
According to him, the main reason is climate change as in the months of February and March, when the temperature of the day was high and at night, it was low. This temperature change affected the flowering process. Similarly, the climatic condition was more suitable for pests such as trps and hoppers that attacked the fruit.
“This year, the mango farmer was very happy because there were no wind storms in the district, but there was still less mango performance.”
Muhammad Yousuf, a merchant who buys the mango orchards in the lease annually in the Sheikh Wahan and Pallo Shah areas, says that the mango garden rates are higher this year. He says that the owners of the mango garden demanded RS1M to RS3M more during the past year. Regarding the expenses, he says: “Last year, there were RS3M expenses in a mango garden worth RS30M, but this year, expenses increased to RS4.5m.”
Yousuf said that at the beginning of the mango season, the mango rate was better in the big cities and that it was also exported to Iran, but after the beginning of the Iran-Israel War, the export was closed. He adds, “The Export Rate of Sindhri was RS7,500 per 40kg which has dropped to rs5,000 per 40kg now. Similarly, The 10kg Crate of Sindhri Was RS2,200 which is now RS1,200 and the Crate of Dussehri was RS1,500 but it’s Now Being Sold at RS900 to RS1,000, “
Even Muhammad, resident of Rahim Yar Khan, who works in a mango and pulp juice factory in Karachi, says that this year they buy mango from RS300 to RS500 per rate of 40 kg. He says that during the current year, Rahim Yar Khan’s mango matured in time, but the handle of the fine division has not yet matured, which affects his sweetness and weight. “The price of the pulp, which is exported mainly, will ultimately increase due to the lower mango production,” he predicts.
Mian Arshad, a mango farmer from Chak Abbas, says there is no horticulture specialist in the Department of Agriculture at Rahim Yar Khan to guide mango farmers to obtain maximum performance.
He says that there is no classification or packaging plant at the government level in the district or the load flights of the Sheikh Zayed International Airport (SZIP), so Karachi, Lahore and Fine exporters are obtaining the best profits compared to the workers’ workers in their area.
Posted in Dawn, June 21, 2025
