Poverty, drought force Ghor farmers to sell animals at low rate

KABUL (Pajhwok): Some livestock farmers in western Ghor provinces have said drought and poverty forced them to sell their animals at low rate.

Faiz Mohammad, a farmer from the Allah Yar district of Ghor, said he brought more than 10 of his animals to the Kanj market of Ferozkoh to sell them.

“From the past two years I cultivate wheat but it did not produce yield due to drought,” he said.

He complained against economic issues and said he did not receive aid from welfare organization and was forced sell his livestock to coup with poverty and drought.

He added the lack of grassland, growing poverty and drought forced him to sell his livestock at low rate.

“The rates of our sheep go down every year, in the past we sold one sheep from 8,000 afs to 10,000 afs but this year we sold them from 5,000 to 6,000 afs,” he said.

He asked the authorities to provide them with humanitarian aid.

Ameer Jan, another livestock farmer, also complained against the low rates of domestic animals.

He brought 15 sheep and cows to Ganj to sell them. He complained against deteriorated economic condition as well.

“I am forced to sell these sheep and cows due to economic problems, no organisations provide us with aid, if there is aid it is never enough for a family, ”  he added.

They asked the acting government to provide opportunities for the growth of livestock to that they would be able to raise their animals and continue with the process.

Fazal Ahmad a businessman, who came to Ganj for the purchase of livestock, said: “The rates of cows and sheep declined in Ghor we purchase them here and then take them to Kabul and sold them at a reasonable price, there is no grass in these areas, people cannot keep the animals,” he added.

Ghor Agriculture Department Spokesperson Abdul Sammad Saeb told Pajhwok Afghan News: “We last year with the support of Action, Afghan Aid and other welfare organisations distributed livestock and cash aid among hundreds of farmers in Ghor.”

He added efforts were underway to provide more support to the local farmers.

Eighty-five percent people in Ghor are associated with livestock and supported themselves through this way.

nh