SANGHAR, June 7: The non-availability and shortage of irrigation water in different areas of Sindh has squarely affected the mango crop, including the variety of Sindhri, regarded as ‘the pride of Sindh’.

The crop has reached in Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts remarkably in a very short quantity which has ultimately made mango a costly fruit. During the season, most of the people of Sindh use to enjoy mango with bread in their lunch and with rice in dinners. However, the unprecedented hike in prices of different varieties have apparently forced the poor people to change their routine.

The mango crop requires a sufficient quantity of water at least once in a week. Due to the shortage, many of the mango orchards received no water for several months thus destroying the crop.

In the areas where water was supplied once or twice a month, the per acre and per plant yield has been affected. The fruit could not achieve a full size and the actual taste.

To get a reasonable price, mango traders are taking their merchandise to the markets of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad and other cities aggravating the supply situation further in the small towns of Sindh.