Samangan grapes yield up by 15pc this year

AIBAK (Pajhwok): Grapes yield has increased by 15 percent in northern Samangan province this year comparing to the past year, an official said on Monday.

Agriculture Director Habiburrahman Waqas told Pajhwok Afghan News grapes orchards existed on 200 acres of land in the Feroznakhchir and Hazrat Sultan districts.

He said the orchard owners got 25,000 metric tonnes of grapes from these orchards last year and sold one kilogram of these grapes at an average 25 afs. Total the received 625 million afs revenue.

He said this year formers harvested 30,700 tonnes of grapes from their orchards this year which 15 percent higher than the previous year.

This year he said the price of one kilogram of grapes was accounted for 30 afs and the grapes farmers would earn over 900 million afs through this way.

Agriculture director linked hike in the price of grapes with its export to Pakistan. He said this year 85 percent of Samangan grapes exported to Pakistan.

He said the weather of Samangan was suitable for the growth of grapes and 90 percent residents of Feroz Nakhchir were busy in grapes cultivation.

Farmers have been thrilled over higher grapes price and surge in its production.

Abdul Rahim, 52, a farmer from the Lab Ab village of Feroznakhchir district told Pajhwok Afghan News: “Last year, he got 56 tonnes of grapes from 1.5 acres of land and earned 150,000 afs from its sale but this year 84 tonnes of grapes were received from the same orchard and which generated 250,000 afs of revenue.”

He complained against the lack of cold stores where they could protect their crops, adding that if cold store existed now they would have sold one kilogram of grapes against 60 afs.

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