Nimroz residents’ interest grows in pistachio farming

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): The residents of southwestern Nimroz province have been increasingly taking interest in plantation of pistachio farms, an official says.

Mohammad Akbar Sharifi, Nimroz’s agriculture director, told Pajhwok Afghan News during an interview that newly-planted pistachio saplings in Kang, Chakhansur districts and Zaranj City, the provincial capital, were growing at a great pace.

He added a large number of farmers planted pistachio saplings in these areas last year.

“Nimroz suits the growing of pistachio trees because the plant needs little water and a salty soil which Nimroz has,” he added.

Sharifi said pistachio farms owners had been provided necessary guidance on how to cultivate the plant, how much water and what type of environment it needed.

He said the people of Nimroz had recently shown more interest in cultivation of pistachio trees.

Mohammad Qayum, a farmer in Kang district, said he cultivated pistachio seedlings last year and the plants grew well with the passage of time.

He added: “After repatriation, I decided to grow some pistachio trees because farming is my profession and the climate of Nimroz is suitable for pistachio plantation.”

Haji Din Khan, another farmer, who owns a pistachio farm on five acres of land in Zaranj, said the farms were beneficial.

He planted pistachio saplings that best suited the climate of Nimroz.

Ghulam Farooq, a senior agriculture department official, said cultivating more pistachio farms meant helping the country’s economy because pistachio was an expensive dried fruit.

nh/ma

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