Apple yield up this year but market down, say Ghazni farmers

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): Farmers in southern Ghazni province say this year’s apple harvest is satisfactory, but they do not have a market to sell them.

They asked government officials to solve their problems and emphasized on constructing cold rooms to preserve their agricultural products.

On the other hand, officials explain they are trying to find a market for all agriculture produce.

Sultan, a gardener, told Pajhwok this year his garden produced more apples compared to last year.

Last year, a seven kilograms of Japanese, super golden, rechip and ready apples were sold for up to 200 afghanis, but this year they could not fetch above 100 to 150 afghanis, he added.

“Now is the harvest season, but there are no buyers. We have to sell our harvest at a low price so that the apples do not spoil”.

Allah Mohammad, another farmer, told Pajhwok fruits were sold at a low prices in a short period of time due to lack of market and cold rooms.

“If cold storages are built, the fruits can be stored and supplied to the market according to the market demand, we will not suffer losses”: Allah Mohammad explained.

On the other hand, government officials confirmed formers; concerns and said they were trying to encourage government institutions, national traders and international organizations to address the problem.

Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock spokesman Qari Zekria Hotak told Pajhwok many fruits in the province are harvested in one season and it makes it difficult to find buyers.

According to him, it is planned to export 5,000 tons of apple to Pakistan and India regularly in the next few days by two private companies in cooperation with the provincial administration and chamber of commerce.

“Thus far, 600 tons of Marling and Lebanese apples have been exported to Pakistan and India, and some more will be sent”.

Head of Chamber of Commerce Abdul Matin Qalandar told Pajhwok recently exports to Pakistan and India had decreased via Spin Boldak port.

“There are problems in ports, the fruits are not easily exported, but if there are cold storages, the fruits will be stored and supplied according to the demand of the market, so that farmers will not be harmed”.

According to officials, apple orchards are located in Khawaja Omari, Abband, Nawa, Khogyani, Waghez, Deh Yak, Andar, Qarbagh, Muqor, Gilan, Jaghori, Malistan, Zankhan and Ajristan districts and Ghazni city, which produce about 400,000 metric tons of apple every year.

hz/ma