KOHAT: The guava orchards spread over thousands of acres in Kohat district have been affected by an unknown disease, causing heavy losses to farmers.

The guava orchards which had been badly affected are located in Jawanda, Ustarzai, Rawalpindi Road, Shiekhan, Hangu Road, near Tanda Dam for decades.

The deputy director of the agricultural department, Shakirullah, said that the problem was with the orchard owners who didn’t spray the whole area simultaneously due to which some of the farms were infected.

A farm owner, Mamoor, whose orchard comprises 800 trees in Muhammadzai, told Dawn that the trees get flowers in late July and they had a bumper crop from September to January, but this year all orchards had been ravaged by the disease.

The fruit of Muhammadzai is famous all over Pakistan due to its rich taste, aroma and colour.

Meanwhile, shortage of rain affected the sowing of major wheat, mustard, gram and maize crops, while the farmers complained that the water level in Tanda Dam had dropped due to which the water in the irrigation canal could not reach middle and tail enders.

However, the sub-divisional officer of irrigation department, Arsalan Wazir said that farms beside the 84 kilometres long canal were getting water after recent raising of the dam which had reached its full capacity of 72,000 acre feet, but, he regretted, half of which had been lost due to siltation of dam since it went operational in 1968.

MEASLES-RUBELLA VACCINATION: The measles and rubella vaccination drive was facing hiccups in Kohat division after several parents in Junglekhel and old city neighborhoods expressed hesitation to immunise their children due to some misconceptions.

The commissioner Kohat division, Syed Motasim Billah Shah, visited the households along with the health department officials, representatives of the World Health Organisation, regional coordinator Dr Saifullah and expanded programme on immunisation officer Dr Amjad.

The commissioner engaged parents in a dialogue, explaining the safety and public health importance of measles–rubella vaccines, while the health staff addressed all the questions and concerns on the spot.

Following the discussions, parents agreed to vaccinate their children.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2025