Pistachio yield has increased by threefold in northern Samangan province this year, according to officials for the provincial agriculture, irrigation and livestock department. They say the pistachio’s price has also increased in market comparing to the previous year.
Abdul Ghafoor Karimi, director of natural resources and forests for the agriculture, irrigation and livestock of Samangan, said that about 210 tons of pistachio was harvested this year comparing to last year’s 70 tons.
He said that the pistachio harvested from 42,000 hectares forest this year showed a significant increase to almost three folds. Karimi linked the increase in pistachio yield to appropriate climate and rains and protection of the pistachio forests.
He said that the price of pistachio has also increased comparing to last year, adding that 7kg pistachio was sold 9,200 afghani this year comparing to last year as 7kg pistachio was sold by 7,000 afghanis.
He also said that the bulk of the yield was obtained from the forests of Rubatak, Qara Soy, Tykhonak, Hazara Marzai, Gugerd and Sandoqcha of the provincial capital, as well as Dasht-e-Khwaja Momin and Aaq Gunbad of Hazrat Sultan district and also from Feroznkhchir district of the province.
Meanwhile, a number of traders by expressing happiness over increasing the pistachio products in the country. Haji Yousuf, a local trader in Aibak, said that the Samangan pistachio’s quality was good this year, adding that he purchased 3tons pistachio from the people collecting pistachio in the province so far.
Most traders are trying to export pistachio to foreign countries through air corridors. The traders in the country’s north are happy with products that have been collected recently. M. Daud
