KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Recent heavy rainfalls have rotted over 50pc grapes and raisins in southern Kandahar province, inflicting millions of afghanis losses to orchard owners and businesspersons.
Haji Nazar Mohammad, a resident of Panjwayee district who had leased an orchard, told Pajhwok Afghan News that he had leased a gapes orchard for nine million afghanis but the recent rains severely affected his farm and he suffered more than six million afghanis in the loss.
He added: “This year, I leased orchards for 9,000,000 afghanis, but the rains damaged all the fruit. I have never experienced such a heavy financial loss before.”
Saadullah, an orchard owner in Panjwaee district, said the rainfalls damaged the grapes and as well as raisins and the remaining raisins may not be sold even at half of the price.
He said although people had covered their raisin houses with plastic, due to heavy rainfall, water entered the houses and badly damaged the fruit.
He said: “The rains ruined all our efforts this year and caused a lot of damage. More than half of the grapes harvest in our orchard was destroyed.”
Haji Nani Agha, the head of Fresh Fruit Traders Union in Kandahar, said the rainfalls had inflicted heavy damage to grapes and raisins.
“This year, the grape businesspersons have suffered more than the owners of the orchards, because many traders had leased the orchards and the rainfall damaged the fruit,” he added.
Eng. Abdul Baqi Bina, deputy director of the Chamber of Commerce, told Pajhwok that only 10,800 tons of grapes were exported to foreign countries which were very less compared to the previous years.
He added that one of the reasons behind the decrease in grape exports was the recent rainfalls that damaged the fruit, one the other hand, the rains and floods in Pakistan also negatively affected Afghan grape exports.
Hz/sa
