Balkh farmers urged to use burlap bags to protect cotton’s quality

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Cotton Processors Union in northern Balkh province has asked farmers to use burlap sacks (hessian fibre) instead of plastic bags to protect cotton’s quality.

These remarks were made at a gathering about creating awareness among farmers regarding the use of burlap bags in Mazar-i-Sharif, the provincial capital.

Representing Cotton Processors and Exporters Union, Syed Mohammad Hashimi said using plastic bags during cotton’s harvesting and processing time damages cotton’s quality.

He said the use of plastic bags was the reason of low quality of Afghanistan’s cotton and its low price in international markets.

He urged farmers to use gunny bags instead of plastic bags.

Imamuddin Sanayee, Balkh industry and commerce department head, said cotton was an important crop of Balkh province where many cotton processing factories existed.

“If cotton is not collected and processed properly, it affects the crop’s profit”, he said.

Atiqullah Muslim, Plants Protection Department head at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, said farmers must be aware of the fact that if cotton was placed in burlap sacks, its quality was protected.

On the other hand, some farmers expressed their concern about the high price of burlap sacks in the market.

Sardar Mohammad, a farmer of Chahar Bolak district, said the use of burlap sacks was beneficial to protect the quality of cotton, but farmers could not afford to buy them for being expensive.

Sardar Mohammad asked the authorities to provide farmers with free burlap bags.

Shamsuddin Khalid, Balkh agriculture and livestock department head, said his department had always tried to solve farmers’ problems and increase their capacities.

According to the provincial Agriculture Department, about 30,000 hectares of land is grown with cotton crop this year, which is expected to produce about 40,000 tonnes of cotton.

aw/ma