Nangarhar achieves record wheat production

JALALABAD (PAN official said on Monday.

The crop was cultivated over 80,000 hectares of land in the provincial capital of Jalalabad and the districts of Nangarhar, Agriculture Director Mohammad Hussain Sapi, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Nine different kinds of seeds were used, he said, linking the all-time high yield to the establishment of agriculture research farms and the timely distribution of improved quality seed and fertiliser to growers.

The nine seed types were cultivated after being processed at a research farm established with the help of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. The seeds were declared favourible, Sapi said.

This year, 25,000 growers were distributed 1,200 tonnes of improved quality seed, 3,600 tonnes of fertiliser and 300 tractors, the agriculture director said.

One hectare of land produced 3.5 tonnes of wheat this year, giving one tonne extra yield per hectare compared to last year. There was no report of diseases in the crop and favourable weather also contributed to the production, the director said.

A farmer in Behsud district, Syeda Jan, said his 2.5 acres of land yielded more wheat compared to previous years. He linked the increased production to the availability of enough irrigation water and rain.

In spite of the province’s bumper crop, Sapi said the construction of houses on land previously used for growing wheat and the acquisition of government land by powerful individuals threatened wheat production in Behsud district.

ma/at

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