Grape yield up, prices down in Faryab: Farmers

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Farmers in northern Faryab province report a significant increase in grape yield this year, but complain of low prices.

They say prices have dropped by more than 50 percent, compared to last year, making their earnings insufficient to cover expenses.

Officials from the Department of Agriculture acknowledge the claims, attributing the decline in grape prices to an unprecedented yield spike, a lack of markets and insufficient cold storage facilities.

Haji Estanqal, a farmer from the Shirin Tagab, the district has 5,000 grape gardens. He adds this year’s yield is several times higher than last year’s.

However, the prices have nosedived and there are few buyers for the fruit.

He listed the lack of market and cold storage facilities as key reasons for the price decline, saying last year, per seven kilograms of grapes sold for 300 to 350 afs. But this year, they are selling for just 100 to 150 afs.

Estanqal urged the interim government to create marketing opportunities for their produce and construct cold storage facilities in each district to preserve crops.

Najmuddin, another farmer from Khwaja Sabzposh district who brought grapes to Maimana, also grumbled about the lack of market and the low price of the fruit.

He said his income from grapes did not even cover transportation costs and the expenses of maintaining his garden.

He added that grapes that sold for 250 afghanis last year were currently priced at just 100 afs.

Hayatullah, another farmer from Qaisar, said he had leased out three grape gardens. But this year, grape prices have dropped by half, with no buyers available.

He attributed the fall to increased yields, unemployment and the economic hardships of the people.

“Last year, I had sold per seven kilograms of Taifi-type grapes for 250 afs but today I’ve got only 130 afs. There are fewer buyers, and recent rains have damaged orchards, causing grapes to start rotting.”

Meanwhile, agriculture department official Makhdoom Habib Rahman acknowledged the growers’ complaints.

He linked the decline in grape prices was to increased production, a lack of markets and people’s economic difficulties.

Despite a shortage of irrigation water, he noted the grape yield in Faryab had gone up by over 50 percent this year.

According to Habib Rahman, there are nearly 16,000 hectares of grape orchards in Faryab, with an estimated yield of 21 tonnes per hectare.

This suggests that farmers will harvest more than 330,000 tonnes of grapes and produce around 100,000 tonnes of raisins this year.

Concerted efforts have been made to support farmers, including the construction of approximately 400 raisin houses in the districts of Qaisar, Almar, Khwaja Sabz Posh and Shirin Tagab, where many people are engaged in farming. Fifteen additional raisin houses are currently under construction.

Regarding the lack of cold storage for agricultural products, he said a small cold storage facility has been established on an experimental basis.

A larger facility of the kind had previously been constructed in Maimana, though it still lacks equipment and materials.

This issue has been raised with the Ministry of Agriculture, and it is expected that the problems faced by farmers will soon be resolved.

At the same time, some residents of the province expressed satisfaction with the lower grape prices in the local market.

Mohammad Sharif, a resident of the third district of Maimana, recalled that last year, one kilogram of grapes cost 50 to 60 afghanis. But now the fruit is selling for 20 to 30 afs, making it more accessible for poorer families.

sa/mud

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