LAHORE: Floods in Punjab, which have submerged more than 1.3 million acres of farmland along the eastern rivers, have caused significant damage to the Kharif crops, particularly cotton, prompting fears of food inflation.

Floods have displaced two million people, submerged 2,000 villages, and led to the relocation of 760,000 residents and 516,000 heads of cattle from the affected areas.

The satellite imagery of 24 Punjab districts in the command areas of the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers shows that arou­nd 3,661 square kilometres, or 4.7 per cent of the total area, remained under floodwaters.

The floods have devastated key crops, including rice, sugarcane, corn, vegetables, and cotton. According to the Pakistan Business Forum, approximately 35pc of the cotton crop in central and southern Punjab has been destroyed, with losses reaching as high as 40-50pc in Bahawalnagar, the province’s largest cotton-producing district.

Kissan Board leader claims losses to tune of Rs500bn; over 1.3m acres of farmland submerged

Akhtar Farooq Meo of the Kissan Board Pakistan claimed that farmers sustained losses to the tune of Rs536 billion due to damage to the cotton, rice, sesame, maize, and fodder crops. Mr Meo claimed that many towns were facing shortages of perishable items and the situation could transform into a food crisis.

Meanwhile, there were conflicting reports about damage to the rice crop. The Pakistan Business Forum claimed that 60pc of the rice crop in central and southern Punjab had been destroyed — a claim contested by the exporters.

They said the Basmati crop region, with the exception of Pasrur in Sialkot, remained largely undamaged, adding that the non-Basmati crop, particularly along the Sutlej River, had already been harvested in late July and early August, with only hybrid varieties in some areas sustaining damage.

However, floods created a severe shortage of fodder, threatening the livestock industry, which was a major contributor to the national GDP.

Meanwhile, experts feared a sharp rise in domestic grain prices that could make Pakistani rice uncompetitive on the global market. Similarly, the loss of the cotton crop was also alarming for the textile industry, accounting for over half of Pakistan’s export revenues.

Ihsanul Haq, the chairman of the Cotton Ginners Forum, said the crop was under severe stress.

Major cotton-producing regions in Punjab and Sindh, including Bahawalnagar, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan, were either currently submerged or were bracing for more heavy rainfall. The reduced supply of raw cotton reportedly forced several ginning factories and mills to cease operations. Furthermore, there were early reports of a virus affecting various cotton varieties, which could further reduce per-acre yields.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2025