250 tonnes of apple exported to India from Ghazni

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): A large amount of apple has been exported to India from southern Ghazni province, says the provincial Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Department.

Maulvi Mohammad Idrees Hanif, the department head, told Pajhwok Afghan News that about 250 tonnes of apples were exported to India from the province and the process was still underway and was expected to reach 400 tonnes.

The fruit is produced in Ghazni City, Waghaz, Jaghatu, Khwaja Omari, Aab Band and Qarabagh districts.

He said the fresh fruit from Ghazni was exported based on a regular plan in cooperation with the provincial administration and the Chamber of Commerce and hundreds of trucks of a private company were sent to India within a fortnight through the Spin Boldak crossing.

According to him, the harvests of fresh fruits, especially grapes, apples and plums have registered a 10 percent increase, benefiting Afghan businessmen.

Hanif said in previous years the total exports amounted to around 300,000 tonnes, which were mostly exported to Pakistan, India, the United Arab Emirates and other countries, but this year, it was for the first time such a large amount of apples was exported to India.

Janu, a gardener from Hasanabad area of Ghazni city, told Pajhwok that he harvested around 49,000 kilograms of apples from his orchards, showing a two-fold increase over previous years.

He said in the past, Japanese, Super Golden, Rechip, Marling, Lebanese and Reddy apples were sold for up to 300 afghanis a kilo, but this year, they were sold for 100 to 150 afghanis.

Shahzad Gul, another gardener, said: “It is harvest time, so we have to sell the fruits at a low price before they spoil. Due to lack of cold storages, the fruits spoil in a short period of time.”

Abdul Mateen Qalandari, director of the chamber of commerce, told Pajhwok exporting apples mostly benefitted traders and not the gardeners and farmers. He explained traders used to buy apples from farmers at a low price and the reason was the lack of cold storages.

He added: “If cold storages are built, the fruits will be preserved and supplied according market demand, and it will benefit both farmers and people.”

sa/ma

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