Mangos a best source of nutrition to fight heatstroke highly vulnerable to climate change
MARDAN (APP): Ali Hazrat, a 45- year-old progressive mangoes grower was extremely worried after dropping of production of the most nutritious fruit useful in fight against heatstroke, has been declared highly vulnerable to climate change by the experts.
Plucking mangoes from his 10 acres orchards at Lund Khwar here, Ali Hazrat has repeatedly asked the co-labourers and sons to hurry up to complete the placed orders before the sunset.
The demands of mangoes were soared in local markets of Khyber Pakthunkhwa due to its numerous qualities and usefulness in fight against heatstroke in hot weather conditions.
A graduate of Agriculture University Peshawar, Ali Hazrat said that mango flowering was very sensitive to high temperature mostly caused by the climate change and global warming, which are adversely affecting its production in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“If mango flowering is prevented by temperature stress, mango trees cannot produce fruits, resultantly of substantial economic loss to its farmers.”
He said that reduction in mango production had been witnessed for a third consecutive year due to flooding, torrential rains and rise of mercury in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
As result, the prices of “King of Fruits” has been increased this year compare to 2023 and demanded for interest free loans to mango growers and introduction of climate change adoptable varieties to bolster mangoes exports.
Professor Dr Zilakat Malik, former Chairman Economics Department, University of Peshawar said that climate change has adversally affected the mango production in Pakistan in recent years and pro mangoes policies and climate change adoptable varities were need of the hours for which agriculture research institutions should take a lead role.
He said a target of 100,000 metric tons of mango exports has been set for this year against 125,000 metric tons last year by All Pakistan Fruits and Vegetables Assciations with exports expected to start from next month with a focus on GULF, China, America, Turkiye, Japan, Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia.
He said Pakistan produces around 1.8 million metric tons of mangoes per year of which 70 percent are collected from Punjab province, 29 percent in Sindh and about one percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Dr Malik claimed that the production of mango in Punjab was ranged about 35-40 percent, while in Sindh about 20 percent, fearing that the total production is likely to be reduced by 0.6 million metric tons, this year due to climate change.
Chaunsa, Sindhri, Langra, Dasehri, Anwar Ratool, Saroli, Samar Bahisht, Toota Pari, Fajri, Neelum, Alphanso, Almas, Sanwal, Surkha and Sunera mangos produced in Sindh and Punjab were always a preferred choice of buyers owing to its excellent nutrition value, mineral, vitamins and sweetness.
Chaunsa is one of the world’s top mango variety because of low in calories and high in fibre besides sufficient number of carboydrhydrates, calcium, iron and proteins, which was imperative for physical and mental growth of a person.
Being the second largest fruit crop of Pakistan, mangos were produced in abundance in Mirpur Khas, Thatta, Hyderabad, Thata, Bahawalpur, Multan, Muzafarghar, Rahimyar Khan, Peshawar,Mardan, DI Khan from where it was being exported to the local and international markets.
He said that Pakistan could earn foreign exchange of over $90 million, adding that the sector, including mango processing, packaging and warehousing, was an over Rs100 billion industry that provided employment to millions of people.
Besides boosting immune and digestive system of people especially senior citizens and children during summer, the doctors have advised people to include mangoes in their diet to avoid heatstroke during summer.
Dr Riaz Khan, senior medical and children specialist Govt Hospital Pabbi Nowshera, told APP that mango was one of best source in fruits to protect people’s from severe heatstroke and improve their immune and digestion system.
“Once mango’s juice is mixed with water and sugar is immensely helpful to cool down body’s temperature and prevent negative effects on digestive system primarily from overheating especially in warmed areas,” he said.
While terming mangos extremely important for all those people who get exhausted while working in hot weather especially policemen and labourers, he advised them to consume mangos in sufficient quantity to keep body’s temperature cool and make kidneys’ healthy.
“Vitamins C and A are found in abundance in mangos, which keeps a person’s immune system strong and stable, counter overheating and prevention of breast, leukemia and prostate cancers,” he explained.
Dr Riaz said mangoes was very important for senior citizens and children as it help lower cholesterol level because of high fibre, minerals and vitamins required regularly for people.
To keep heart and kidney’s strong, he advised people to use mangoes juices during summer besides avoiding beverages and unnecessary exposures to avoid heatstroke.
He said our mangoes are superior in terms of quality, sweetness, aromatic, yellow skinned and softness than other countries and that is why are being liked in world over including Asia, Middle East, Europe and Central Asia.
Dr Riaz advised people to make mangos part of their diet and provide it to their children due its enormous benefits for humans.
The experts underscored the need of making serious efforts at federal and provincial levels to protect mangoes sector from the adverse effects of climate change, particularly through research studies enabling the orchards of mangoes and other fruits to develop sufficient endurance to sustain against the tough weather conditions.
Research-based solutions must be found urgently to address the issue of climate change, otherwise mango production and exports will likely to drop further.in years to come in the country.
The experts called on agricultural research Instituted including Pakistan Agriculture Resesrch Council (PARC) Islamabad to take a lead role on research on mangos on priority basis to help farmers deal with the effects of climate change and global warming.
To increase the production and export of mangoes, he said that it is imperative to develop new varieties of mangoes that are compatible with the climatic changes.
The experts said prevention of diseases and supply of suitable agricultural pesticides are also needed to minimize the effects of climate change on mangoes production in Pakistan.
