JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Farmers, who have grown melons on the land belonging to the Canal Department in eastern Nangarhar province, say natural disasters have damaged their crop this year.
The affected farmers say in the past years, they would collect sufficient melon harvest, but this year the harvest has reduced a lot and they are unable to meet even the input cost.
They asked the Canal Department to reduce the rent of land and provide them with other necessary facilities.
Canal Department officials say 2,000 acres of land belonging to the department was sown with melon this year and they are trying to help the affected tenants in cooperation with aid organizations.
Faqir Mohammad, who has leased 23 acres of land from the Canal Department, complained that rains, hailstorms and other natural disasters damaged wheat and melon crops this year.
“Natural disasters destroyed our crops this year. We have leased land and planted melons and wheat, they were destroyed. We want the government to reduce the rent.”
Another farmer, Aziz Khan, also asked officials of the Canal Department to reduce the lease money.
“Severe hail and rain damaged melons, watermelons and wheat on our land. The lease is high. The harvests were only enough to pay the lease, we got nothing against our hard work. The government should reduce the rent”.
Another lessee, Haji Mohammad Sadiq, said he invested two million afghanis on about 20 acres of land belonging to the Canal Department.
He said the melon harvests were low compared to the past years after being hit by natural disasters. He asked the canal department to reduce the land rent and to provide improved seeds, chemical fertilizers and other necessary equipment to the tenants.
Syed Humayun Gharibmal, Canal Department spokesman, told Pajhwok that melon crop was planted on 2165 acres of land in four farms of the Canal Department this year and produced more yield compared to the past despite natural calamities.
He assured farmers that talks were ongoing with some aid agencies to help the lessees in necessary areas.
Agricultural experts say Nangarhar has fertile land, suitable air and water for agriculture and horticulture and can produce good yield if used properly.
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