A frost event damaged standing tomato crops across villages, including Kathha Saghraal, Kathha Misraal, and Kotli Rajgan in the foothills of Daman-e-Mahaar in Pakistan's Khushab district. Fields that had been producing red and green tomatoes were affected within a short period, with plants showing dried leaves and damaged stems.
Farmers reported that freezing temperatures caused plant cell rupture, resulting in crop losses at a late stage of maturity. Local estimates indicate that more than 65% of the tomato crop was completely lost. Growers who had taken loans to purchase seed and fertilisers reported uncertainty following the damage.
Vegetable farms and orchards in the affected areas showed limited prospects for recovery. Local grower Malik Abdul Karim told Express that farmers had continued field work during cold nights, applying fertiliser and maintaining crops in anticipation of seasonal market prices. "We hoped to repay our previous loans, but nature had other plans," he said.
The production shortfall is expected to affect supply to wholesale markets in Sargodha, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. Traders anticipate reduced availability in the coming weeks, which may influence market prices. Agricultural labourers who had travelled from other areas for harvesting activities have since returned without work.
According to agricultural experts, frost events occur periodically in the region due to its geographical setting. However, they indicated that the timing and intensity of this episode resulted in higher crop damage. Experts also pointed to changing weather patterns as a factor affecting seasonal production risks.
Farmers stated that they did not receive timely alerts or guidance from the agriculture department on mitigation measures such as smoke cover, light irrigation, or the use of plastic tunnels. Former Khushab District Council Chairman Malik Ameer Haider Sangha Awan has called on the Punjab chief minister to deploy revenue officials and agricultural specialists to evaluate losses and consider relief measures for affected growers.
The Khushab area is known for open-field vegetable production supplying regional markets, and the frost impact highlights exposure to climatic variability at the end of the winter production cycle.
Source: The Express Tribune
