Mango farmers in Pakistan say the yield of their fruit has fallen by up to 40 percent in some areas because of high temperatures and water shortages. The arrival of mango season in Pakistan is always eagerly anticipated, but this year, temperatures rose sharply in March -- months earlier than usual -- followed by heatwaves that damaged crops and depleted water levels in canals farmers depend on for irrigation.
The country is among the world's top exporters of mangoes, harvesting nearly two million tons annually across southern parts of Punjab and Sindh. The total harvest is yet to be measured, but production is already short by at least 20 to 40 per cent in most areas, according to Gohram Baloch, a senior official at the Sindh provincial government's agriculture department.
Source: france24.com