MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Growers in northern Balkh province say that natural disasters have tamped down their cotton harvest.
Around two months ago, the Agriculture Department in Balkh told Pajhwok Afghan News the cultivation of cotton had increased by 10 percent and its price surged two times over last year.
Mohammadullah, a farmer from Katakhel area, told this news agency his cotton harvest had declined this year due to natural disasters.
Last year, the grower recalled, he had harvested 1,050 kilograms of cotton from half an acre. But this year, the yield has come down to 560 kilograms.
Khuda Noor, another farmer, said he planted cotton on 10 acres of land this year. He spent 200,000 afghanis on growing the crop, which was attacked by a disease.
Grower Niamatullah said his cotton harvest had been good in recent years. Farmers had been satisfied with their incomes, he added.
Natural disasters, however, damaged cotton fields this year, he explained, complaining that growers had suffered losses as a result.
He spent 40,000 afghanis on each acre, but he could not earn even 10,000 afghanis from an acre.
Maulvi Shamsuddin Abu Khalid, director of agriculture, confirmed natural disasters and warm weather had damaged cotton fields in Chamtal, Chahar Bolak and Balkh districts this year. As a consequence, he said, the cotton yield had declined.
This year, the director said, cotton was planted on 25,000 hectares of land in the province and the yield was about 38,000 tonnes.
sa/mud
