Page 150 - Muzaffargarh Gazzetteer

are generally grown. A considerable portion of land is under sunflower
cultivation which yields high income for growers these days.

MAJOR CROPS

Major crops grown in Muzaffargarh have been detailed as follows:
Wheat
Wheat, as elsewhere in Punjab, is one of the staple crops in Muzaffargarh
too. Not only it feeds human beings but provides food to livestock too in the
form of wheat straw. Around 21 varieties are grown in the district, and with
the adoption of new technology and research, its per acre production has
been considerably increased.

In 2018-19, yellow rust, a fungal disease, broke out in the district which
severely damaged the wheat crop and reduced its production by 25%.

Rice
Owing to deficiency of water, rice is not grown in the district on large scale.
Some activity takes place along the rivers or in the canal-fed areas though.
Most of the rice is cultivated in the localities of Daira Din Panah and Shah
Jamal. Up to 14 varieties are sown in the district.

Cotton
Cotton is being sown throughout the district since early 1960s, i.e. when the
canal water became available. Generally, 20 varieties of cotton are grown of
which those of Alipur and Jatoi are considered the best.

In addition to the above major crops, the pulses, i.e. gram, mong, mash etc.
are also sown in the district. Moreover, oilseeds crop including sunflower,
sesame, mustard, canola etc. are also sown successfully. Similarly,
vegetables and fodder crops are also grown over large areas.
FRUITS

Mangoes and dates are the principal produce of the district which are not
only consumed locally, but are exported in large quantities too.

Mango
Muzaffargarh is famous for its mangoes which are grown in almost the entire
district over an area of approximately 46500 acres. The areas of Khangarh,
Shah Jamal and Rohilanwali are particularly famous for their produce. The
most important varieties are Sindhri, Chaunsa, Dusehri, Anwar Ratul, Langra
and Malda.

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