Herat cumin exports up 80pc this year

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Over 100 tonnes of black and green cumin seeds worth $16 million have been exported from western Herat province to foreign countries, an official said on Thursday.

According to the Exports Department of the provincial Chamber of Commerce and Investment, 9,857 tonnes of green cumin and 94 tonnes of black cumin were exported to foreign nations this year.

Last year, 2,540 tonnes of green cumin and 20 tonnes of black cumin had been exported abroad.

The Chamber of Commerce and Investment said the spice was exported to Kazakhstan, Germany, the US, UAE, Turkey, Sweden, Austria, Bangladesh, Iran, Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Bashir Ahmad Ahmadi, Assistant professional head of the Agriculture Department, said there was an increase in the yield of cumin this year, compared to last year.

He said 5,000 tonnes of cumin was harvested in Heart — 10 percent up compared to last year. He added last year over 4,000 tonnes of cumin was harvested.

Farmers in Herat were overjoyed over the growing cumin yield and said they would grow more if its exports continued to increase.

Nh/ma

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