By Arsalan Ali ISLAMABAD, May 30 (INP-WealthPK): Climate change has exerted devastating effects in Pakistan, causing 10 and 30 percent reduction in wheat and mango production respectively, Chief of Research at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) Dr. Abedullah told WealthPK. According to Dr Abedullah, erratic monsoon patterns and heatwaves decreased wheat productivity by 5 to 6 maund per acre. “If we don’t import wheat, there will be a shortage in the country due to increasing wheat demand in the international market. The summer and winter weather patterns have changed abruptly due to global warming. Earlier, we used to have six-month summers and winters and experience all the four seasons. Now the spring and autumn have almost vanished,’’ he remarked. When the wheat crop was harvested in November last year, weather was perfect for it because the winter was in full swing, he said, adding that the country had received adequate rainfall and these crops were growing quite well. “In March, when wheat millet was supposed to grow, all of a sudden there was an increase in temperature. As soon as the temperature rose, millet production was also completed quicker. This shrank the seed and millet size and caused a decrease in starch, which was the reason for 10 percent decrease in the final yield of wheat,” he said. Dr Abedullah said mango cultivation was almost nearing end during March and April. Mangos increased in size, but due to the heatwave, a lot of them overtripped and developed white spots in places where they were directly exposed to heat. As a result, the quality of production will drop and so will its worth in the market, he added. He said when the temperature rose in March and April, it was accompanied by dust and windstorms, causing much of the fruit to fall prematurely. As a result, the crop suffered an adverse effect. Sunflower and sugarcane crops also suffered due to the rising temperatures, causing financial losses to the farmers. “This year we witnessed the highest recorded temperature in the past 60 years during the month of March and April. Heatwaves used to come at the end of May or June, but now we are experiencing them in April through May. This will also result in a negative impact on our ecosystem. Also, our water reserves are almost near extinction,” Dr Abedullah continued. “Given the speed at which the climate is changing, we are not making pace in taking the correct measures. Our speed is slower than the climate speed. That is why we are lagging behind the challenges posed by the climate change. Water scarcity and climate change-related issues are also expected to hit hard if we don’t take the necessary measures in time,’’ he said. He said use of advanced irrigation systems and farmers’ access to metrological information will help in lowering the drastic impact of climate change on crop productivity.