Rice cultivated on 3,000 hectares in Balkh this year

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Rice crop has been cultivate on about 3,000 hectares of land, 10 percent up compared to last year, in northern Balkh province, officials said on Thursday.

Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock director Mohammad Hussain Azimi told Pajhwok Afghan News rice was cultivated in Sholgara, Kishindi, Kaldar and Shor Tepa districts on 3,000 hectares of land.

He said his department in partnership with a number organizations taught new agricultural methods to farmers and also distributed chemical fertilizers and improved quality seeds to some.

Sarajuddin, a farmer, told Pajhwok the government had so extended them no support and he bought fertilizer and improved quality seeds with his own money. He asked the government to support farmers.

Abdul Mohammad, another farmer, complained the prices of chemical fertilizers had increased compared to previous years.

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