AIBAK (Pajhwok): Orchards of different fruits are being planted on 1065.5 acres of land in northern Samangan province this year, officials said on Monday.
National Horticulture and Livestock Programme (NHLP) head for Samangan, Eng. Abdul Majeed Khairkhwa, told Pajhwok Afghan News the orchards would be established with financial support from the World Bank as part of the spring tree plantation campaign in the province.
Each orchard would cost 6,000 afs and half of the expenses would be paid by farmers, he said.
An official of the programme, Eng. Qambar Ali, said orchards would be established on 1065.5 acres of land for farmers in the provincial capital, Aibak, and six districts of the province.
Of the 1065.5 acres of land, 434 acres will be used to plant grape orchards, 362.5 acres apple orchards, 180 acres almond orchards, 50 acres for planting apricot orchards, 20 acres for cherry, 8.5 acres for peace and 11.5 acres for pear orchards, he said.
Hundreds of saplings with prices ranging from 35 afghanis to 150 afs each would be purchased from the union of the nursery owners and would be distributed to farmers, he said.
In addition to the saplings, 40 to 60 kilograms of DAP and six kilograms of seed of alfa alfa would be also distributed to the farmers and for grapes orchards, the department would give improved quality melon seeds to farmers instead of Alfa Alfa, he said.
myn/ma
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