Govt urged to explore markets for melons, watermelons

TIRINKOT (Pajhwok): Some farmers in central Uruzgan province have cultivated melons and watermelons in their lands and asked the government to explore markets for their yield.

In Uruzgan, 95 percent of people are associated with agriculture and this year melons and watermelons had been cultivated on 200 hectares of land.

Some farmers now have demanded the government explore markets for their products.

Mohammad Dawod, a farmer from the Chori district, on his Twitter handle wrote that he cultivated watermelons and melons on his 1.4 acres of land which produced good yield and he was satisfied.

He said: “This year’s crop is better compared to the past year’s crops and produced more yield but the rates are not good.”

Naqibullah, a farmer from the Balochi area of Tirinkot, said that the prices were reduced when the watermelons and melons yield were harvested and reached the market.

He said their yield is limited to the Tirinkot markets adding that agriculture products could not exported to other provinces or there foreign countries.

They demanded the exploration of a decent market for their products.

Meanwhile, agricultural officials have said that for the first time melons and watermelons yield had surpluses in Uruzgan.

Agricultural Department Spokesperson Mawlavi Abdul Manan Farooqi told Pajhwok Afghan News melons and watermelons cultivated on nearly 200 hectares of land this season which produced nearly 900 tonnes of yield.

There was an unprecedented increase in the yield of all types of crops, he added.

He said farmers have been distributed refined seeds in time and provided with professional training as well this year.

Referring to the shortage of market he said that the demands of the farmers had been heard and would be addressed.

He said that Uruzgan is self-sufficient in the production of fruits and vegetables and did not need to bring these products from other provinces.

He hoped that vegetables and fruits from Uruzgan would be exported to other provinces.

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