Pakistan’s dates: A sweet harvest rooted in tradition

Dubai: Pakistan’s date industry is a major part of the country’s agricultural landscape, with the southern province of Sindh at its heart. Khairpur district produces more than half of Pakistan’s dates, supporting thousands of farmers and seasonal workers who depend on the annual harvest.

Date season begins around July, when workers climb palm trees to harvest the ripe fruit. In Khairpur, the harvested dates are collected, transported, and processed, with some varieties boiled before being laid out in the sun to dry.

Pakistan is among the world’s leading date-producing countries. It ranks as the fifth-largest producer, with the industry typically earning more than $120 million annually from exports, according to industry estimates.

The date palm landscape is particularly prominent around Khairpur, where thousands of trees play an important role in the local agricultural economy. Farmers such as Shahnawaz Phulpoto, who owns more than 1,500 palm trees, have built their livelihoods around the crop.

The industry, however, is adapting to a changing climate. Temperatures in Sindh can reach the mid-40s Celsius during the harvest season, while changing rainfall patterns and heavy monsoon rains can affect crops.

Despite these challenges, Pakistan’s date farmers continue to cultivate, harvest and process one of the country’s most important traditional crops — preserving a centuries-old agricultural heritage while supplying dates to markets at home and around the world.

Photos: AFP