PFVA fears 20 percent reduction in mango production during current season due to climatic changes.

PESHAWAR -- All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (PFVA) has expressed the fear of 20 percent reduction in mango crop production in the country during current year due to adverse effects of climatic changes on agriculture and horticulture sectors.

In a press statement issued here on Thursday, Waheed Ahmed, Patron-in-Chief of PFVA said that the production capacity of mangoes in Pakistan is around 1.8 million tons, however due to the effects of climate change, it is feared that the production is expected to decrease by 20% thus be limited to 1.44 million tons.

Waheed guessed that due to long winter and delayed arrival of summer, mango production is decreasing and the ability to fight diseases in mango orchards is also diminishing.

It merits a mention here that last year early heat wave caused by global warming affected around 50 percent of mango production, slashing the export target of mango from 1,25,000 tones to 90,000 tonnes.

Mango crop is directly affected by changing weather patterns, he added and urged that research institutes and provincial agriculture departments shall provide resources and awareness to mango farmers to avert the negative impact of the climate change.

He stated that the target of export of mangoes for this season has been set at...