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This region attracts a large number of workers from Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan every production season that usually coincides with monsoon rains that undermine date production.
The oppressive heat of summer over June-July makes weather conditions unbearable but it is an ideal period for the ripening of fruits, such as dates. Rows of date palm trees in orchards start dotting the landscape while one travels on the National Highway as Khairpur draws near. Coupled with mango and guava orchards, date palm trees make Khairpur a rich and diversified district in an agricultural sense.
This region attracts a large number of workers from Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan every production season that usually coincides with monsoon rains that undermine date production.
Once the capital of the Sumra dynasty in Sindh, Umerkot not only boasts ancient history but is equally rich in agricultural diversity. From being the birthplace of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great to the legendary folklore of Umar and Marvi discussed by Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Umerkot district or Amarkot holds a distinctive place in Sindh. From veggies to cotton and from mango orchards farming to ispaghol cultivation, the district is also known for the production of dundi cut chilli.
Umerkot is synonymous with Marvi, one of the seven queens in folklore poetry of Sindh’s great mystic poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. He has described the tragic romance saga as the symbol of resistance and love for her native land. In her folktale, Bhitai discussed veggies grown in the desert of Thar of which Umerkot is historically a part of. Located in eastern Sindh, about 60km from the Indian border, it is famous for the fort that dates back to the 11th century and exists today.