Indus used to flow in the region called Aror in upper Sindh before it found its new course. Fertile Aror was the capital of Sindh from the fifth to seventh century before Mohammad bin Qasim’s conquest of Sindh. Signs of Aror’s fort are still there.

The Indus river flows through a gap in a range of low limestone hills at Sukkur and gets divided into two Sukkur and Rohri channels by an island, Bakhar. The meandering Indus river, after changing its course, started to flow through the midst of Sukkur, a growing urban centre in upper Sindh on its left bank. Rohri is its twin city.

Sukkur’s political significance was evident in the undivided subcontinent. During the British Raj, Muslims demanded the restoration of the mosque, Masjid Manzilgah and Hindus opposed it due to its proximity to a temple, leading to the worst communal violence in Sukkur in 1939. Many lives were lost and Allah Bux Soomro’s government collapsed.

With footprints of history Sukkur has a diversified agricultural landscape, contributing significantly in cash crops apart from orchards, vegetables etc.

Sukkur has connectivity with around eight big or small districts at a distance of 30 to 45 minutes and can be an important spot for promoting industrial activity as well as for value addition of food produce

And the story of Sukkur’s agriculture can’t simply begin sans Sukkur barrage, the crown of Pakistan’s irrigation network. Also known as Lloyd Gorge Barrage, it has one of the largest distribution networks in the country with 8.2 million acres of command area. This barrage (built in 1923-1932) was designed to pass 1.5m cusecs but its capacity was reduced to 900,000 cusecs of water after the closure of its 10 gates in 1938-40.

It is arguably the lifeline of Sindh’s farm sector with 896 miles of canals, 758 miles of branch canals, 1,751.50 miles of distributaries and 2,050.14 miles of minors. The barrage feeds its share of water to Balochistan under interprovincial water distribution.

Located in northern Sindh, it irrigates lands right up to lower Sindh in Badin. Two of its major perennial canals — Nara and Rohri — irrigate several districts. It passed a flow of 1.1m cusecs in the 2010 floods and 1.2m cusecs in 1976.

The barrage is home to endangered species of Indus dolphin or Bhullan, its local name. Following the 2010 super floods, the construction of a new barrage in Sukkur was debated. Some argued this colonial-era entity had outlived its utility.

Production of cotton, sugarcane, wheat and rice in certain areas, and orchards of fruits like strawberries and dates is a manifestation of its agricultural diversity. Cotton production remains constant in Sukkur, achieving acreage over and above the sowing target since 2015. Sugar cane cultivation has increased, often crossing the sowing targets. Cultivation of maize, mustard, tobacco, sesame, jawar and gram production also continues. Sukkur has a 14.2pc share in Sindh’s total fish production according to figures compiled by the Sindh government’s Bureau of Statistics in 2018.

The riverine area in Panu Aqil’s taluka, over the last several years, has been witnessing strawberry cultivation upstream Sukkur barrage. According to one strawberry grower, Abdul Khaliq, around 10 cartons are obtained from an acre on alternate days. “Strawberry involves massive investment in terms of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and other vital inputs. Our area has sweet groundwater,” he said.

Figures showed 400 acres were brought under strawberry cultivation. Mr Khaliq and other farmers bring the fruit’s plants from Dir and Swat, prepare a nursery and transplant them in October. Fruit is ready for harvest in January and sold widely in Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas.

Besides strawberries, citrus varieties are grown including oranges and lemons. Watermelons and muskmelons are also produced. Orchards of banana, guava and date palms are there. Sukkur contributes to Kharif and Rabi vegetables as well.

Another grower, Shahzado Chhajan, notes that growth in dates production in 2022 has been impressive: a single tree was let out for Rs600-700 last year but this year the rate has increased to Rs1,200 -1,400 per tree by contractors. “Dates cover around 20pc of total agricultural land area,” he said and remarked that date varieties like aseel, karbalain, sagaee etc remained in production in Sukkur with aseel processed for chhuhara. “If chhuhara export is allowed to India through Wagah border it will benefit us,” he said.

Sukkur has ginning factories, roller flour mills and the Sindh Small Industrial Zone. Given Sukkur’s industrial potential, Pakistan’s noted economist Dr Kaiser Bengali as Sindh government’s planning adviser has suggested Sukkur as one of the eight metropolitan zones in the upper/northern Sindh region. “Sukkur has connectivity with around eight big or small districts at a distance of 30 to 45 minutes and can be an important spot for promoting industrial activity,” said Dr Bengali. The concept only exists on paper.

“Farm produce shows huge potential for value addition that is yet to be tapped. The shelf life of fruits can be extended and wastage avoided. Area wise we have an edge for a food processing zone,” opined Amir Ghauri, president Sukkur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).

But Sukkur’s industrial area lacks infrastructure increasing the cost of doing business. “Milk production and processing are showing gradual growth,” Mr Ghauri added while referring to the existence of Pakistani brands of milk. The companies get milk from surrounding villages, he remarked.

Sukkur has the largest market of fresh and dried dates but without any scope of value addition. Sukkur is located right after Khairpur which has a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and could capitalise on it once the SEZ kickstarts. Some UAE based firms are busy in Rhodes grass cultivation under contractual obligations with farmlands owners.

Ghotki, Sukkur’s adjoining district, over the last ten years has seen substantial growth of sugar factories to five units. But Sukkur still has only one sugar mill, owned by Sheikhs. Syeds, Dharejos Mahars and Chachars, and Sheikhs are the families that dominate the political landscape of the district with considerable landholdings inside the riverine area and irrigated parts.

Sukkur is part of a 10-year (2017-2026) Sindh multi-sectoral Accelerated Action Plan (AAP) — an initiative of Sindh’s health department that aims to reduce stunting and malnutrition through multiple interventions by eight different departments including agriculture and livestock. Under AAP, the livestock department gives five goats and 10 chicks to a thousand families in Sukkur. Sukkur’s share in Sindh’s livestock as per the 2006 livestock census was around 12-13pc. With a 10pc annual increase ratio, the livestock population would be around 1.85m out of the 48.12m estimated population of Sindh.

According to a livestock technical officer, Dr Ghulam Mohammad Bhutto, around 50pc of milk produced in Sukkur is processed in a plant while 30pc is used for domestic consumption and 20pc remains with the rural population. Recently, he said, the artificial insemination production unit has become functional and upgraded. An LNG browser has been installed which is essential for semen preservation. “We are self-sufficient to meet demands for artificial insemination activities,” he informed.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, March 7th, 2022