The Taliban’s Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock in Logar province says that watermelon production in the province has increased this year compared with last year.
Nasiruddin Bahij, the department’s agricultural affairs officer, said that watermelons have been cultivated on 2,500 hectares of land in Logar this year. According to him, watermelon prices are also favorable because imports of fruits from other countries have declined, leading to increased demand for locally produced watermelons.
Meanwhile, a number of farmers in Logar say agricultural yields have improved this year, but they are calling on the Taliban authorities to provide greater facilities for exports so they can sell their products in suitable and profitable markets.
Afghanistan’s favorable climate provides good conditions for the production of fresh fruits and vegetables; however, farmers emphasize that the lack of access to markets and export-related challenges remain among their major concerns.
This comes after Sher Mohammad Khatami, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, previously said that nearly 13,000 hectares of land in Farah province had been planted with watermelons and that the harvest was expected to reach around 526,000 metric tons this year. Farmers say that if suitable markets are not found for their produce, their economic losses will increase further.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
