HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): About 2,500 hectares of pistachio orchards have been established in western Herat province. Agricultural experts consider this a positive development, while orchard owners are hopeful of earning good incomes from the crop.
In addition to wild pistachio trees that grow naturally in mountainous areas, people in Herat have increasingly turned to establishing irrigated pistachio orchards in recent years.
Bashir Ahmad Ahmadi, head of agricultural affairs at the Herat Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, told Pajhwok Afghan News that approximately 2,500 hectares of pistachio orchards have been established across different parts of the province and that the expansion process is continuing.
According to Ahmadi, pistachios are among the crops best suited to Herat’s climatic conditions and have gained particular popularity among farmers in light of recent droughts because they require relatively little water.
He added that the expansion of pistachio orchards not only helps improve the efficient use of water resources but can also play an important role in increasing farmers’ incomes and promoting commercial horticulture in Herat.
According to him, it is still too early to estimate this year’s harvest, as pistachios are usually harvested toward the end of August.
Although the Department of Agriculture did not provide figures on last year’s pistachio harvest, Ahmadi said growing public interest in establishing pistachio orchards and their continued expansion could be seen as a sign of increasing production in the province.
Meanwhile, Farid Ahmad Taimuri, head of a pistachio production and cultivation company in Herat, said the province’s climate and weather conditions are suitable for growing different varieties of pistachios.
He added that pistachio saplings are usually grafted in their second or third year, after which they enter the growth and fruit-bearing stage.
According to him, increased interest among farmers in establishing pistachio orchards has also led to greater demand for pistachio saplings in recent years.
At the same time, farmers in Herat have expressed satisfaction with the results of pistachio cultivation.
Haji Halim, a resident of Injil district who owns a pistachio orchard, said people in the province are increasingly establishing standard pistachio orchards and that the growth of pistachio trees appears promising due to Herat’s favourable climatic conditions.
According to him, pistachio trees begin producing fruit after about five years.
He added that some pistachio orchards in districts including Pashtun Zarghun, Kohsan and Oba have recently started yielding harvests.
According to his information, orchard-grown pistachios currently sell for around 750 afghanis per kilogram, while wild mountain pistachios fetch about 1,000 afghanis per kilogram.
Experts say that at a time when climate change and recurring droughts have created increasing challenges for Afghanistan’s agricultural sector, the expansion of pistachio orchards and other low-water-demand trees could be an effective way of adapting to these conditions.
Habibullah Taheri, a professor at the Faculty of Agriculture at Kabul University, said climate change and drought have had negative consequences for agriculture in Herat and across Afghanistan.
According to him, although some areas received rainfall this year, the amount was not sufficient to compensate for water shortages.
He said that under such conditions, planting low-water-demand trees, including pistachios, could help the agricultural sector better adapt to changing climatic conditions.
Taheri added that pistachios require less water than many agricultural crops and that, if orchards are properly managed and suitable irrigation methods—particularly drip irrigation—are used, the crop could become a viable option for farmers in dry and semi-arid regions.
Meanwhile, agricultural expert Mohammad Ilyas Siddiqi said many farmers and orchard owners have been forced to change their cultivation patterns because of water shortages and turn to crops that are more resistant to drought.
He added that the expansion of pistachio orchards can contribute not only to the efficient use of limited water resources but also to increasing farmers’ incomes and preserving vegetation cover.
According to Siddiqi, the success of this process depends on proper water-resource management, the use of modern irrigation methods and technical support for orchard owners.
Based on the views of officials, orchard owners and experts, pistachio orchards are gradually gaining popularity among farmers in Herat. At a time when water scarcity has become a major challenge for agriculture, interest in this crop continues to grow.
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