MOHMAND: A powerful storm coupled with light rain wreaked havoc on a vertical farming project in the Dag Tamanzi area of Pindiali tehsil, damaging vegetables and farming infrastructure.
Farm owner Israel Khan estimated the losses at millions of rupees, saying the storm had dealt a major setback to the agricultural enterprise that had also become an important source of employment for residents.
Mr Khan said he had leased 100 acres of land at an annual rent of Rs3 million and invested around Rs30 million in developing the farming operation. The investment included expenditure on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, wires, timber, labour and other agricultural inputs.
He said vegetables cultivated over the entire 100 acres were affected, while structures covering nearly 50 acres were flattened by the storm. The crops were close to maturity, but a substantial portion of the expected commercial return had been lost due to the damage.
“Harvesting has already begun to salvage whatever produce can still be marketed,” Mr Khan said. Around 25 workers are currently engaged in harvesting and cleaning operations, which he estimated would cost a further Rs600,000 to Rs700,000.
The farmer has been engaged in large-scale vegetable farming for the past seven years, cultivating bitter gourd, cucumber, round gourd, tomatoes, chillies, capsicum and eggplant.
He said his produce was supplied to markets in different parts of the country, while high-quality vegetables were also exported to Gulf countries.
The farming project has provided regular employment to around two dozen people from the surrounding area.
Mr Khan said the destruction of the infrastructure had therefore affected not only his investment and business prospects but also the livelihoods of local workers associated with the project.
He urged the provincial government, district administration, relevant agriculture authorities and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority to carry out a transparent assessment of the losses and extend financial assistance for the rehabilitation of the damaged farming infrastructure.
Mr Khan said timely government support could help revive the agricultural enterprise, protect local employment and encourage investment in modern farming practices in the district.
The incident also highlights the vulnerability of large-scale agricultural ventures to extreme weather events and the need for effective disaster-risk management, crop protection and financial support mechanisms for farmers in vulnerable areas.
Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2026
