Raisin exports reduced by 50pc, say Qaisar gardeners

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Gardeners in Qaisar district of northwestern Faryab province say they exported 350 tons of raisins to a number of provinces and abroad, but complained about drought and declined exports.

The gardeners say they exported the said amount of raisin within a week and the production could have been increased if there was no drought.

Haji Mohammad Ibrahim, an influential man and a raisin seller in Qaisar district of Faryab, told Pajhwok Afghan News that despite they sold 350 tons of raisin in a week, the production of grapes’ gardens was lesser this year due to drought and shortage of irrigation water. He said that the exports of raisin from their district dropped by 50 percent this year.

“The harvest you see may be 14 tons, but the amount would have been 70 tons if our land was irrigated on time,” he said.

Ibrahim said that seven kilogram of black raisins was currently sold for 800 Afghanis to 1,400 Afghanis, the same amount of green raisin for 1,200 Afghanis and red raisin for 700afs.

He said that Qaisar was the commercial center of 14 districts of Faryab, but now its farmers and even people had no access to irrigation water and even potable water as the ground water level is 150 meters deep from the surface of ground.

He asked the government to take action for resolving the problem.

Haji Mohammad Naim, a local trader, said that four days in a week are the sale days of raisin in Qaisar district, during which 280 to 350 tons of the fruit is sold for export to inside the country and countries such as India, Turkey, Dubai and Arabian states.

Naim said that if shortage of irrigation water was solved, the production of raisin in Qaisar will increase by multifold and it would boost people’s economy.

Traders and gardeners asked the government to resolve the problem of shortage of irrigation water so it would increase the raisin production and improve farmers’ economy.

Mds/ma

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