Badakhshan pistachio harvest 80pc down this year

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Pistachio yield declined by 80 percent in southeastern Badakhshan province this year, with gardener calling the low harvest a great loss.

Drought and less snowfall in last winter were main reasons behind the decreased production, said Noor Mohammad Noori, an official at the provincial agriculture, irrigation and livestock department.

He said only 20 percent of farmers were lucky because their orchards produced up to 200 tonnes of pistachio this year.  

He said seasonal wind in Jawza month threw dust on the raw dried fruit, leaving it black and spoiled.       

The dried fruit production is the sole livelihood for people in some districts, the official said. Last year, pistachio production reached up to 1,000 tonnes owing to plenty snowfall and rainfall in winter.

Ahmad Khan, a gardener in Darayam district, said: “Last year I earned 200,000 afghanis by selling pistachio, but this year I collected only 14kg of the fruit.”

Haji Abdul Rahim, another orchard owner in Yaftal district, expressed concern over the low production of pistachio. “Our livelihood depends on pistachio production but this year the harvest was meager. Pistachio forests badly need snow and water, but unfortunately drought in winter damaged the trees.”

According to agriculture department officials, pistachio forests are located in Kasham, Tagab, Darayam, Argo, Yaftal Payan, Shahr-i-Bozurg, Yawan, Nasi, Mayami, Shaki, Kof-i-Aab and Khwahan-i-Badakhshan districts.

Nearly 150,000 hectares of land are under pistachio farms, including 151 hectares artificially cultivated in 1386 solar year.

sns/ma