Snowfall, rains to end drought, hope growers

KABUL): The latest snowfall and rains that lashed most of the provinces raised hopes among farmers to get rid of the ongoing drought that affected crops in 14 provinces last summer.

However, the recent snowfall that started last night brought cheers to growers, who hoped they would get rid of the drought.

The still continuing snowfalls lashed Kabul, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Bamyan and Kapisa provinces since Thursday.

Local officials said it was raining in Helmand, Kandahar, Herat, Balkh and some other provinces.

“People in Samangan are optimistic about an end to the long- existing drought,” a farmer in Araban village on the outskirts of Aibak, the capital city, Mullah Bazar, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

“Last year, I cultivated wheat on 12 acres of rain-fed land but the crop was destroyed by drought. This time around, I am optimistic about good yeild from my 35 acres of land grown with wheat,” he said.

In southern Helmand, people said they were happy with rains that began three weeks ago, raising hopes for better yeild next summer.

Tor Jan, a resident of Nad Ali district, said the rains would prevent the spread of diseases in crops caused by drought.

In Maidan Wardak, where 30 centimetres of snow was recorded, resident Esa Gul, said the snowfall would help end the long lasting drought.

On January 5, Afghanistan Meteorological Authority (AMA) forecasted continued snow and rainfall in most of the country this winter, hoping the ongoing drought sweeping northern and southern parts of the country would decrease.

The country is expected to receive an average of 270 millimeters of rain this year against the average annual rainfall of 230mm, the AMA head, Muhammad Ishaq Noori, said.

He said there has been 15 to 20 percent decrease in rainfall last year, resulting in damages to crops in 14 provinces in the north, northeast and northwest this year.

frm/ma