Pakistan Water Crisis Threatens Wheat Production Ahead of Rabi Season

Pakistan is facing a severe water shortage that threatens to impact its wheat production and exacerbate food security issues. The country's reservoir levels have dropped to their lowest since 2021, with an estimated 25% shortfall in water availability for the Rabi season.

Rabi begins on October 1, with wheat being the most important crop. However, Pakistan is already dealing with a wheat production shortfall from the previous season, when output was estimated at around 27.5 million tonnes against a target of 29.7 million tonnes and consumption requirements of 31.9 million tonnes.

The country's two major reservoirs, Tarbela and Mangla, have seen their storage levels drop from 11.6 MAF to below 9.5 MAF ahead of the Rabi season. This has forced Islamabad to import one million tonnes of wheat.