Pomegranate harvest down in Kandahar

Pomegranate production has declined by 10 percent in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province, local officials said this week.

Drought and floods are said to be the main reasons behind the decline in pomegranate yield in Kandahar this year.

“We have pomegranate trees covering 10,000 hectares of land. Unfortunately, this year’s harvest saw a 10 percent decrease,” said Shams-ur-Rahman Musa, head of agricultural products at Kandahar agriculture department.

Meanwhile, the provincial chamber of commerce said that they have exported 13,134 tons of pomegranate so far this year.

Abdul Baqi Bina, deputy head of Kandahar Chamber of Commerce, said that pomegranate was also being transported to other provinces of the country.

Local farmers also said that drought and floods affected pomegranate production this year, but added that the demand for the fruit remains high in the market.

“Pomegranate harvest has declined this year due to drought. Hopefully it will increase next year,” said Juma Khan, a farmer in Kandahar.

“I request the Islamic Emirate’s authorities to help provide us with pesticides,” said Abdullah Jan, a farmer in Kandahar.