Narrator: Pakistan is one
of the largest producers of dates in the world. But record monsoons left
hundreds of farms underwater, even months after the rain stopped. Narrator: Regrowing these plantations could take 15 years. Narrator: This disaster
could have a lasting impact on half a million people
who work in the industry. We went to Khairpur to see how farmers are now picking up the pieces. It takes a decade for a
palm tree to grow fully and start bearing fruit. But once it matures, it can
pr
oduce dates for 60 years. Usually, farmers like Ghulam
Shabbir harvest the crop in June, when it's still dry. Narrator: But this year,
the monsoon came early, and the rain didn't stop till August. Narrator: The province
of Sindh got seven times more rain than usual. The Indus River overflowed,
flooding nearby areas, including Khairpur District. Water wiped away farm after farm. Narrator: And Ghulam lost 1,500 trees, about 80% of his grove. Narrator: He was already deep in debt before the floods
hit because of loans he took
to buy seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers. Now, he estimates he'll
need another $15,000 just to rebuild his farm. Narrator: But it's been even worse for some farmworkers like Nawab Jatoi. He's one of thousands who lost
their homes and their jobs. Narrator: The floods
displaced 33 million people. That's one-sixth of Pakistan's population. The government set up
hundreds of relief camps, but not where Nawab lives. Now, children are sleeping in the streets. Narrator: Par
veez Jatoi is
trying to save the dates he picked earlier this year
by drying them out in the sun. He earns 300 rupees, or
about a dollar a day. But the floods washed
away all his life savings. Narrator: But the agricultural sector is crucial to the economy. Pakistan is one of the
world's top exporters of cotton and rice, both of which were
devastated by the floods. And it is the fifth-largest
producer of dates in the world, exporting them mostly to India. In a normal year, this
wholesale market,
or mandi, sells 5 million sacks of dates. But this year, only
500,000 had been collected. And half of those were destroyed
when the market flooded. Narrator: Rebuilding these
farms won't be easy or fast. Narrator: For many crops, including dates, the planting season would
normally start in fall. But they can't plant while so
much land is still underwater. Scientists say the climate crisis is making monsoon seasons
more unpredictable and more destructive. Workers like Nawab have lost all hope.
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