BAMYAN (Pajhwok): A number of livestock keepers and dairy sellers in central Bamyan say the lack of processing, storage and packaging facilities has weakened the dairy market, urging the government and aid organisations to establish a standard dairy processing and storage centre in the province.
Qarghanato area in central Bamyan is a major hub where milk, yoghurt, qurut, cheese and other animal products from different districts are brought for purchase and sale.
Livestock keepers and villagers in the area traditionally produce qurut, milk, cream, cheese, buttermilk, yoghurt, chaka and butter, which are marketed through local traders.
A resident of Qarghanato, Alauddin, told Pajhwok Afghan News that dairy production in the area was good, but the market remained weak during most months of the year.
He said dairy sales increase during Eid holidays when domestic and foreign tourists visit Bamyan, but decline throughout the rest of the year.
Alauddin called on the government and aid organisations to establish a standard dairy processing and packaging centre in the area so products could be processed, packaged and transported to other regions with better quality, creating opportunities for livestock development.
Meanwhile, dairy seller Mohammad Ibrahim said the dairy market had weakened in recent years due to the deteriorating economic situation of people, while proper storage facilities for dairy products were also lacking.
He said the absence of cold-storage facilities caused some dairy products to spoil, leading to financial losses for livestock keepers and sellers.
He urged the government and international aid organisations to provide training to livestock keepers on standard dairy production, processing and storage, and support the establishment of processing centres and cold-storage facilities.
Karbala Ramazan, a tribal elder in the area, also called for greater support to livestock farming, saying dairy products that do not reach markets on time lose their quality and cause losses for producers.
He added that providing proper facilities for dairy storage, processing and marketing would improve the economic situation of livestock keepers in the area.
Meanwhile, Bamyan governor’s spokesman Saboor Saighani said Qarghanato and Shidan had gradually become centres for collecting and trading dairy products brought from different districts of the province.
Saighani told Pajhwok that the Aga Khan Foundation had established a market in Qarghanato for buying and selling animal products, but there was still no standard dairy processing centre in the area.
He said private sector investment in dairy processing and standard packaging was necessary to expand the market and create new sales opportunities for these products.
He added that electricity shortages in Qarghanato and Shidan remained a major challenge for establishing cold-storage facilities needed for dairy processing and preservation.
Economic affairs expert Professor Masoud Pashtun told Pajhwok that providing dairy processing, cold-storage and standard packaging facilities would not only prevent product spoilage but also help expand the dairy market and promote livestock farming in Bamyan.
He said standard dairy processing and packaging could create new domestic and international markets for these products, increasing livestock keepers’ incomes and strengthening the country’s economy.
Agriculture and livestock farming are among the main sources of income for many Bamyan residents. People across the province are engaged in animal husbandry and dairy production alongside agricultural activities.
hz/sa
