Islamabad: The 2025 floods have devastated Pakistan’s agricultural sector, damaging 2.5 million acres of farmland, including seven percent of cultivated land in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Major crops such as rice, sugarcane, and maize have been badly hit, reports The Nation.
The crisis and its impact on food security came under review at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research, chaired by Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan, on Thursday. Calling the floods “a national disaster,” Senator Ahsan stressed that immediate relief must be provided to affected communities through the Benazir Income Support Program.
Committee members expressed serious concern over the steep fall in Basmati rice exports, once among Pakistan’s most valuable commodities. “Pakistan achieved record rice exports, but shipments are now drastically down — even lower than India — due to disruptions in supplies to European markets,” said the Chairman of the Rice Importers Association.
Senator Danesh Kumar warned that exports worth Rs. 5 billion were being held back because of restrictive policies. He criticized the lack of consultation in drafting the NAFSA Ordinance and demanded a full inquiry. “Policies should support the economy and exporters, not strangle them,” he said. The committee agreed.
