Parwan: Apricot, cherry yield go up significantly

CHARIKAR (Pajhwok): The production of apricot has gone up by 20 percent and cherry exports from central Parwan province have seen a 50 percent increase this year.

Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Director Maulvi Niaz Mohammad Taeb told Pajhwok Afghan News orchards on 137 hectares produced 1,120 tonnes of cherry this year.

The production of cherry in the province had been recorded at 950 tonnes last year, the official recalled.

The 18 percent production spike was linked to the absence of pest attacks. Additionally, orchards were not harmed by hail and rains. Taeb explained:

“The farmers, who suffered only a slight loss of the fruit this year, managed to harvest the cherry and supply it to domestic and foreign markets. They earned handsome incomes.”

Most of Parwan’s cherry came from orchards in Salang, Shinwari, Sayed Khel and Jabalus Saraj districts. As many as 174 new cherry orchards have been created during the past two years with the help of donors. Cherry production in the province is expected to soar further in the next three years.

On average, Taeb said, a one-acre orchard produced cherry worth 300,000 afghanis. “Parwan’s cherry is transported to the fruit market in Kabul before being supplied to bazaars in Kandahar, Khost, Ghazni, Paktia, Paktika and other provinces.”

Juma Khan, a grower from Salang’s Kokalam valley, said he was happy with the income from his cherry orchard this year.

Khan added: “Our orchards gave a good yield this year when pests did not harm the fruit. I sold cherries worth 200,000 afs from my one acre orchard. I expect another 100,000 afs from the rest of my cherries, Insha Allah.”

Mohammad Raziq, another farmer from the same area, was also satisfied with his orchard’s yield. He harvests 140 kilograms of cherries from his garden daily and sells one kg for 85 afs.

He said: “We produce the best-quality fruit and its production is considerably high. What we don’t have it is cold storage facility. We have to supply our fruit to markets as soon as possible. If we have cold storage, our income could go up.”

Apricots

The Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Department also announced 20 tonnes of apricots were exported to foreign markets on a daily basis.

Taeb said Parwan growers collected about 16,500 tonnes of apricots from orchards on more than  2,343 hectares of land.

The apricot harvest was 50 percent higher than the last year’s yield, the official pointed out.

Last year, he recalled, 4,000 tonnes of apricots had been exported to India, Iran, Pakistan and some provinces of the country. But this year, the exports surged to more than 6,000 tonnes.

Taeb continued: “Most of the apricot-orchards are situated in Shinwari, Siahgard and Sheikh Ali districts of the province. The produce is either sold in Kabul or exported by traders.”

With the help of NGOs, over 400 orchard-owners were given chemical fertilisers this year, he said.

The department had always tried to set up orchards in different parts of the province and launch awareness programmes for farmers, Taeb insisted.

Mohammad Sabir, a farmer from the Drazgird area of Shinwari district, said he had a two-acre apricot orchard.

Happy with the income from his orchard Sabir said he had sold apricots worth 200,000 afs and expected to earn 150,000 afs more from further sales.

He said a seven-kg carton of apricots accounted for 180 afs in the market.

Parwan has about 75,000 hectares of agricultural land, cultivated with grapes, berries, wheat, potatoes, maize and beans. Parwan's mulberries and grapes are also famous.

aw/mud