Pakistan's Kunri Heat Tops 120 Degrees, Scorching Red Chile Crops
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 10
Pakistan's Kunri Heat Tops 120 Degrees, Scorching Red Chile Crops
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 10
Summary
Temperatures above 120 degrees have scorched red chile fields in Kunri, Pakistan’s chile capital, leaving parched soil, empty patches and farmers waiting for monsoon rain that has yet to arrive.
Months of extreme heat, along with drought, floods and erratic weather, are disrupting the sun-drying system and raising costs for growers who rely on traditional methods.
Red chiles are among the hardest-hit crops in a country where agriculture makes up nearly a quarter of the economy and employs about half the labor force.
Pakistan’s wider climate strain remains severe: the 2022 floods destroyed nearly 4.5 million acres of farmland, and farmers in Sindh and Punjab say they are still reeling.
Beyond the devastating floods and droughts, is the lack of rural financial safety nets the true culprit killing Pakistan's red chile industry?
As 120-degree heat scorches Pakistan's chile capital, could the death of traditional farming force a lucrative technological revolution in global spice production?
With extreme weather destroying traditional sun-drying methods, are synthetic dyes secretly masking climate-damaged spices in your favorite dishes?