KOHAT, March 7: The unusual long spell of rain has badly affected the guava crop in the district, causing millions of losses to orchard owners.

The rains have also made the fruit’s taste a little bitter, bringing down its price to Rs20 per kg from Rs40. The annual earning from guava production in Nasratkhel, Mohammadzai, Jarwanda, main bypass and other parts of Kohat stood at Rs300-400 million.

Losses are huge because previously guava orchard owners got two crops in a year.

But acting on the advice of the agriculture department, the owners did not water the crops in summer to get more good fruit in winter.

They preferred to harvest the crop once a year because during summer a kind of bug attacked the orchards, spreading over thousands of acres of land and was the only source of income for thousands of people.

Similarly, because of its short lifespan guava could not be preserved for more than two hours in summer and could not be sent to other districts, not even Peshawar. The fruit, however, could be preserved for 10 hours during winter.

This year a kilo of fine quality guava fetched Rs80 in Peshawar and its rate was Rs60 per kg in Kohat where it is produced in huge quantity.

With an exorbitant increase in cost of commercial land, the orchard owners are converting their land into residential areas on a large scale. The guava orchards, once surrounding the main city and the airport, are now being converted into residential areas.The orchards situated on Rawalpindi and Hangu roads are being destroyed and shopping centres and housing colonies are being constructed there.

The owners sought government’s assistance in setting up factories to produce and export guava juice.