MONSOON RAINS TAKE HEAVY TOLL ON MANGO PLANTATIONS IN PAKISTAN...

Photos & comments courtesy of Hadi Laghari, Technical Manager, Assim Agricultural Farms

"In mangoes there'll be no visible damage but when water will recede it'll show some major root, collar rot disease symtopms and ultimate plant death, and some nutritional deficiency symptoms. "

"In general standing water will have some major negative impact on flowering this year due to standing water when water will recede back it'll flush let's say in October ( usually we stop irrigation in first week of september to induce dormancy."

BRIGHT LIGHTS ALONG PAKISTAN - INDIA BORDER...KEEPING AN EYE ON MANGO COUNTRY...AS SEEN FROM OUTER SPACE...

Whose bright idea was that? Border between India and Pakistan is so brightly lit it can be seen from space


By CHRIS PARSONS


Last updated at 7:50 AM on 6th September 2011



Snaking for hundreds of miles across the earth's surface, this spectacular picture shows one of the planet's land borders like never before.


The dramatic picture shows a bright orange line jutting across the earth, indicating the border between India and Pakistan.


The stunning image of the earth, taken from the International Space Station last month, also shows busy cities show up as bright clusters hundreds of miles apart.




Spectacular: The International Space Station image captures the floodlit border between India, above the orange line, and Pakistan, below the border in the picture



The border between India and Pakistan, shown here on a conventional satellite image, is now under heavy surveillance through floodlights and fencing

The Indian government sanctioned a move to erect floodlights along the terrain separating India and Pakistan in the Gujarat sector in 2003 to prevent smuggling and arms trafficking.

In previous years the border has regularly seen attempts at infiltration by terrorists, as well as the smuggling of arms, ammunition and contraband.

In total, the Indian government hope to cover 1248 miles (2009 km) of the 1800-mile (2900 km) India-Pakistan border with floodlights.

Officials have so far erected floodlights along 286 miles (460 km) of Indian border with the Pakistan state of Punjab.


The extensive floodlighting continues for 635 miles (1022 km) across Rajasthan, 109 miles (176 km) across the Jammu international border, and 125 miles (202 km) through Gujarat.


So far 1156 miles (1861 km) of the border have been floodlit.


Plans are in place to erect a total 1269 miles (2043 km) of fencing along the nation's border.


The Indian government hope to have completely finished the floodlight operation by March 2012.


A similar fenced border zone operates along India's eastern border with Bangladesh, although it cannot be seen as vividly on images like this.


The Gujarat border region was notorious for being infiltrated until officials erected the floodlit border in 2003.

The spectacular image showing the floodlit border was taken by Expedition 28 International Space Station Crew.


Also visible on the picture as bright clusters is Lahore, Pakistan, nearest to the orange border line.


Islamabad, Pakistan, can also be seen towards the bottom of the picture, as well as New Delhi, India, at the top.



The floodlit border fencing built through the Indian government since 2003 is so bright it can be seen from space

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2033886/India-Pakistan-border-visible-space.html#ixzz1XZoRuUoE

MORE BAD WEATHER IN STORE FOR PAKISTAN IN WAKE OF DISASTROUS MONSOON THAT AFFECTS AS MANY AS FIVE MILLION PEOPLE...

                                                                                                        Pakistan monsoon rains affect five million, kill 132





by Staff Writers
Karachi (AFP) Sept 5, 2011





Monsoon rains in Pakistan have affected up to five million people and killed 132 others in a month, a senior disaster official said Monday, as the country braced for more wet and wild weather.

Southern Sindh, a flood-prone province where authorities said more heavy rain was expected in the coming days, was the hardest-hit area, with crops and many houses destroyed.

"The floods triggered by heavy rains have killed 132 people and affected four to five million people," doctor Zafar Qadir, the country head of the National Disaster Management Authority, told a press conference in Islamabad.

Qadir said most of those killed died as a result of falling roofs, drowning and water-borne diseases.

An unknown number of women and children are among the victims.

"The magnitude of the calamity is worse than our expectations. We are facing difficulties with every passing time," Qadir said.

"A total of 690,000 houses were damaged, in which 250,000 were completely destroyed," Qadir said, adding floods also killed an estimated 100,000 cattle.

Last year, the worst floods in Pakistan's history affected 21 million people and killed an estimated 1,750, with the south again taking the brunt of mother nature.

Charities have accused Pakistan of since failing to invest in flood prevention measures.

Sajjad Haider Shah, an official at the disaster management authority in Sindh, earlier told AFP that 2.2 million people have been affected and 300,000 displaced there.

"We are providing tents and food to the people and our supplies are getting better everyday," said Shah.

The meteorological office has forecast more rain this week.


http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Pakistan_monsoon_rains_affect_five_million_kill_132_999.html

PAKISTANI MANGOES CAN NOT MATCH INDIA PRICING SCHEME ON THE INTERNATIONAL PULP MARKET...

Lower Indian mango prices hit Pakistan

Published: August 23, 2011


USMAN CHEEMA

ISLAMABAD - Political and social unrest in the Middle East and drastic reduction in prices by India have sidelined Pakistan from the international mango pulp market. Weaker policies of Pakistan government are another factor of decreasing export of fruits.

Pakistan is the fourth largest mango producer country in the world after India, China and Mexico. 

Its average annual production of the fruit is 1.7-1.8 million tons, cultivated on an area of 166,000 hectares. 

Punjab occupies a dominant position in producing mangoes with a share of more than 70 per cent followed by Sindh with 20 per cent. 

Chaunsa is the main variety along with Sindhri, Dasehri, Langra, Anwer Ratole and Fajri but what about the international markets? 

“While there is a great international demand for Pakistani mango, there are complaints about quality of the fruit supplied to the export markets.

http://nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Business/23-Aug-2011/Less-Indian-mango-price-hit-Pakistan

PAKISTAN ONE YEAR LATER : AS RAINY SEASON APPROACHES...HOW WILL THE COUNTRY HANDLE THE MONSOON SEASON...AFTER LAST YEARS FLOODS...THE WORST IN HISTORY...

Asia Pakistan braces for rainy season One year after the worst floods in its history, country remains unprepared as monsoon approaches. Last Modified: 30 Jul 2011 20:07

On the first anniversary of the worst floods in its history, Pakistan remains unprepared as this year's rainy season approaches. Hundreds of thousands of people have yet to recover their livelihoods and property, with many saying the government has provided little help with rebuilding. This time last year, flooding in Pakistan submerged an area roughly the size of Britain, killing about 20.000 people and making 18 million homesless. Survivors fear this year's rains could make things worse. Al Jazeera's Zein Basravi reports. http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia/2011/07/2011730185014211670.html?utm_content=automateplus&utm_campaign=Trial5&utm_source=SocialFlow&utm_term=tweets&utm_medium=MasterAccount