Pakistan’s Water Crisis: The Shocking Cost of Sugarcane and Rice Cultivation (2025 Report)

Pakistan’s water crisis is spiraling due to sugarcane and rice cultivation. Discover the hidden costs, alarming statistics, and urgent solutions to avoid a national catastrophe.

3 minutes read

Pakistan’s water crisis is reaching critical levels. Ranked among the world’s most water-stressed countries, Pakistan may deplete its water reserves within decades. Yet, it continues to cultivate highly water-intensive crops like sugarcane and rice, placing unbearable strain on fragile resources.

This crisis not only threatens agriculture and food security but also sows discord among provinces, disrupts the economy, and endangers millions of lives.

Punjab’s Groundwater Crisis

In Punjab, the agricultural backbone of Pakistan, the crisis is particularly dire. Farmers extract over 50 million acre-feet (MAF) of groundwater annually — more than three times the nation’s total surface water storage capacity (13.5 MAF).

This over-extraction, driven by sugarcane and rice cultivation, leads to:

Depleting aquifers
Degraded soil from saline water
Lower agricultural yields
Increased food insecurity

Aquifers that took thousands of years to form are now under severe stress due to unchecked usage and lack of regulatory frameworks.

Sindh’s Waterlogging and Salinity Disaster

While Punjab faces depletion, Sindh grapples with waterlogging and salinity due to excessive irrigation. Almost 50% of Upper Sindh’s farmland is now impacted.

The Sukkur Barrage alone loses nearly 4 MAF annually due to poor water distribution and seepage. As water tables rise, salts reach the surface, turning arable land into barren wastelands.

The World Bank previously estimated $1.5 billion in annual losses due to salinity—a number that’s likely much higher today.

Sugarcane: The Most Wasteful Crop

Spread across 3.2 million acres, sugarcane consumes 18 MAF of water annually, around 17% of the country’s total available water.

Key problems include:

Poor crop water productivity (CWP) of 2.28 kg/m³ vs. global average of 3.5 kg/m³
Low sucrose content (8–10%) compared to global standards (12–14%)
Refining 1 kg of sugar uses 1,750 liters of water

With 6 million tons of refined sugar produced annually, 10.5 MAF of water is consumed just for sugar. Subsidies and political backing continue to encourage this unsustainable practice.

Rice Cultivation: Virtual Water Drain

Rice, grown on 8.9 million acres, uses 14 MAF of water per year. Farmers apply up to 2,000mm per season — twice the required amount.

With water productivity as low as 0.23–0.45 kg/m³, Pakistan lags behind Egypt (0.79 kg/m³), which uses modern irrigation to achieve higher yields with 40% less water.

Pakistan also exports 4 million tons of rice yearly, effectively exporting 8.1 MAF of virtual water — more than 1.5 years’ worth of Karachi’s supply.

The Shocking Numbers

Crop	Land Area (Million Acres)	Water Used (MAF)	Global CWP	Pakistan’s CWP
Sugarcane	3.2	18	3.5 kg/m³	2.28 kg/m³
Rice	8.9	14	0.79 kg/m³	0.23–0.45 kg/m³
Total	—	32 MAF	—	—

32 MAF is equivalent to over 2.5 times Pakistan’s entire surface water storage.

Global Comparisons and Lessons

Countries like:

Egypt have adopted drip irrigation and laser leveling
India promotes crop diversification
Australia incentivizes reduced water use per ton of produce

Pakistan can benefit by shifting to less water-thirsty crops like millet, pulses, or oilseeds and improving irrigation systems.

Urgent Reforms and Sustainable Alternatives

To mitigate Pakistan’s water crisis, here’s what must be done:

1. Policy Reforms

End subsidies for sugarcane and water-inefficient crops
Promote water pricing models
Introduce water rights legislation

2. Irrigation Efficiency

Encourage drip irrigation, sprinklers, and laser leveling
Invest in canal lining and leakage reduction

3. Crop Diversification

Shift towards drought-resistant, high-value crops
Provide incentives for farmers to switch

4. Public Awareness & Education

Launch mass campaigns on water conservation
Train farmers in best water practices

Conclusion: Time for Bold Action

Pakistan’s water crisis is not a distant threat — it is happening now. The country is sacrificing its most precious resource for crops that waste water, harm the environment, and offer poor economic returns.

The shocking annual loss of 32 MAF — nearly equal to 75% of the Indus River’s flow — paints a stark picture of mismanagement and missed priorities.

To survive the next decade, Pakistan must redefine its agricultural policies, embrace modern water-saving techniques, and make water security a national priority.