<p>PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): Officials of the sugar factory in northern Baghlan province say the factory would be closed again due to the lack of sugar beet.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, farmers in Baghlan say they are ready to grow sugar beet, but the government purchases the plant in at a throw-away price which gives them no profit.</p>
<p>Ghulam Sakhi, head of the Baghlan sugar factory, said the lack of land and interest of farmers in growing the sugar beet were main reasons behind the factory’s collapse.</p>
<p>The factory director asked the government to support the revival of the factory. He added 700 people would be provided work opportunities in the factory if made functional.</p>
<p>The factory could process 600 tons of sugar beet in 24 hours from which 110 kilograms of sugar could be produced.</p>
<p>He added the <a href="/en/agriculture" class="glossify-link">Agriculture</a> Ministry should persuade farmers to grow sugar beet and provide them with incentives.</p>
<p>Zabihullah, another worker of the factory, said the government should assist farmers in growing sugar beet on their lands.</p>
<p>He added he never hoped the government would take steps to rehabilitate the sugar factory the way it was functional in the past.</p>
<p>Arbab Faramoz, a resident of Baghlan-i-Markazi district, said: “In the past, the government would provide seeds and urea to farmers to encourage them to grow the sugar beet.</p>
<p>Now the agriculture ministry has stopped supporting farmers who lost interest and did not want to grow sugar beet in their farms.</p>
<p>The Baghlan sugar factory was established by Germany and was normally functional until 1978.</p>
<p>As a result of the Soviet Union military invasion of <a href="/en/afghanistan" class="glossify-link">Afghanistan</a> and the civil war the factory was unable to function, but in 2015 it was again made functional after receiving 3,700 tons of sugar beet.</p>
<p>nh/ma</p>
