Gardeners seek cold-storage facilities, proper market

QALA-I-NAW (Pajhwok): A number of gardeners in western Badghis province grumble about the absence of cold-storage facilities and a profitable market. As a result, their produce either goes rotten or has to be sold cheaply.

Mohammad Nabi, one of the gardeners, told Pajhwok Afghan News they did not have suitable market for selling their products neither facility to store their products.

“We have an orchard, before our fruits getting ripe the price of apples and grapes per kilo reaches 80 to 100 afghanis in the market, but when the fruit reaches the market the price decline to 20 afghanis per kilo,” he added.

Sayed Jalal, another gardener, complained he had to sell his produce in the market at throwaway prices.

According to him, they do not have enough water to irrigate their gardens. Additionally, there is a lack of standard cold-storage facilities and a suitable market for their products.

Jalal added: “The government should provide facilities for us and explore a suitable market for our products so they can earn a good income.”

Moazzam Haqmal, a university professor in Badghis, also called the issue worrisome and said more than 50 percent of gardeners’ produce either went rotten or was sold cheaply.

He went on to argue that the creation of cold storage facilities would preserve agricultural and horticultural products until a good market was found for them.

Mohsen Ehsan, director of agriculture, said he had shared the matter with the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock and relevant institutions.

He hoped the ministry and supporting organisations would cooperate with farmers and gardeners in resolving the issue.

sa/mud

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