Parwan farmers happy over high grapes yield

CHARIKAR (Pajhwok): Grapes production in central Parwan province was experiencing a high output this season with farmers saying they were happy about more demand for grapes in the market as well.

Haji Abdul Munir, an orchard owner from Deh Mullah Yousuf village of Charikar, the provincial capital, said he collected 17.5 tons of grapes from his 1,000 vines this year. He said the gapes production this year was doubled compared to the previous year.

 “This year I earned 220,000 Afghanis from my grapes garden compare to 40,000 of last year’s income which was very low,” he said.

Mild weather and rains on proper times were the causes that protected vines from diseases and pests, he said.

Baz Mohammad, a gardener from Rahish area of Charikar, who sold grapes on Parwan-Kabul road, said that he collected 10.5 tons of grapes from 800 vines this year compare to last year’s 3.5 tons.

“I earned around 150,000 Afghanis this year due to good market for grapes, but last year I earned only 40,000 Afghanis,” he said.

Mohammad Payman, a grapes trader in Qarabagh district of Kabul, bordering Parwan province, said that grapes market was good this year because most of the fresh fruit was exported to India.

He said that he exported 28 tons of grapes from Qarabagh district to Kabul, Kunduz, Balkh, Jalalabad, Khost and to India this year.

 Parwan agriculture, irrigation and livestock director, Abdul Karim Farzam, said that the grapes production has increased in the province compare to last years.

He linked increase in the grapes production to farmers training in areas of branches trimming, timely irrigation, pesticides, making fences and others.

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