Kandahar basil cultivation, yield doubles this year

KABUL (Pajhwok): Basil’s cultivation and yield doubled this year in southern Kandahar province compared to the previous year, but famers are unhappy with the herb’s price in the market.

According to reports, the medicinal and kitchen herb of basil is usually grown once a year. The plant blossoms and it is medicinal plant and is used for some other purposes as well.

Provincial Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation department spokesman Nangialy Samom told Pajhwok Afghan News that basil herb was grown on 800 hectares of land in Kandahar this year, which produced 8,760 tonnes of basil seeds.

However, the plant was grown on 350 hectares of land last year which produced 3,832 tonnes of basil seeds.

Samon said: basil was grown on 800 hectares of land this year and produced 8,760 tonnes of basil seeds, showing a two-fold increase compared to the harvest of previous year. Farmers harvested 3,832 tonnes of basil seeds last year.

According to Samon’s information, basil is grown in Dand, Daman, Panjwai, Zhere, Maiwand and some other districts of Kandahar province.

Some farmers say growing basil is not a complicated work and its price is also considerably good and that is why most farmers have switched to growing the herb. “If farmers are offered good rate of basil seeds, more farmers will cultivate it”.

A farmer in Dand district Dadullah said: “Basil is a good herb, it is easy to grow and its price is good as well, if it is grown on most of lands, its price can decrease, if the issue of market is addressed, basil will be grown on more lands next year.”

He said farmers recently harvested basil crop from their fields and its price in markets was low. “Four and a half kilograms of basil seeds are sold for around 350 to 380 afs”.

Another farmer Hazrat Shah said if basil was exported to foreign countries, its price could reach 500 afs per 4.5kg.

According to Hazrat Shah: “Basil was rarely grown in the previous years, its price was beyond 500 afs per 4.5 kgs, if it is exported to foreign countries, its price will increase and farmers will get more profit.”

Kandahar agriculture officials say efforts are underway to find suitable market for agricultural products to attract more profit for farmers.

aw/ma