KUNDUZ: Farmers, in the northern province of Kunduz, estimated up to 30 percent more almonds harvest this year compared to last year, a local official said.
Abdul Ghaffar Sediqi acting provincial Agriculture Director of Kunduz said that 8,465 tons of almonds were estimated from some 6,580 almond orchards this year that shows a 30 percent surge compared to last year.
“Last year, up to 6,511 tons of almonds were harvested from 6,580 hectares of orchard land, but this year, 30 percent more yield is expected to be yielded from the same orchards,” according to the official.
Farmers also, said that in the past, they couldn’t collect their almond products properly, due to widespread insecurities in Kunduz province, but, security is now sure.
“We have harvested more almonds this year, due to sure security, but have no good market for our products inside the country. If the merchants buy the product and export to other countries, our almond products will thrive more than ever,” Abdul Rahim, a farmer told The Kabul Times.
Plantation of refined almond saplings, decent weather conditions, quality gardening and using pesticides are said to be the reasons behind the increase in the almond yield in the province this year.
Also, elsewhere, in the northern Samangan province, farmers are expected to harvest 20 percent more almonds comparing last year.
Other agriculture products including grapes by twenty percent, cotton by ten percent and melon by ten percent have also increased, respectively in the northern Kunduz, Balkh and Baghlan provinces.
The Kabul Times