Every summer, orchard owners in the picturesque valleys of Swat gather to reap the peach harvest. The valley is famous for its peaches, and the sweetness and flavour of the produce are well-liked across the country. Some are also exported.
But orchard owners are quite worried this year after harvesting a poor crop.
Farmers and orchard owners in Swat say they produce around 80% of the country's peaches. With orchards spread over 15,000 acres in the region, Swat has produced an impressive 400 metric tonnes of fruit in past years, spread over a dozen varieties of peaches.
However, their crop has suffered this year due to extreme weather events precipitated by climate change. They said that successive events, including extreme heat, ill-timed heavy rainfall, hail, and flash floods in recent years, have devastated their crop. Landowners say the peach fruit for this year is ready for picking, but the fruit is inedible, small in size and poor taste. This has contributed to a scarcity of peaches in the market, causing a spike in their prices. The price hike makes it difficult for consumers to purchase the fruit, leading to spoilage and ultimately causing a double loss to farmers.
The impact of climate change on agriculture in Swat is a growing concern for orchard owners, who depend on their harvest as their main source of income. They are seeking urgent action to support farmers and preserve the region's crops.
Seasoned peach farmer Abdul Baseer told The Friday Times that peach farmers in Swat are struggling due to high production costs and low returns on their harvest.
The 45-year-old farmer said that this year, their crop suffered due to heavy rainfall and hail, which significantly reduced their peach production. Further, he said that climate change impacts had affected the fruit's taste and size.
Baseer lamented that after 30 years of carefully cultivating the peach orchards, farmers were now facing difficulties due to the high expenses of growing the fruit but getting comparatively low returns. He criticised the government for not providing any relief package or support to the farmers, who are bearing additional costs from their pockets.
Environmental expert Akbar Zeb told The Friday Times that the government needs to take immediate action to preserve peach cultivation in Swat. If the government fails to take action, he believed Pakistan could risk losing its peaches forever, depriving the public of this beloved fruit and orchard owners and others of livelihood.