KABUL (Pajhwok): The Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Department director for central Maidan Wardak province says that fresh fruits and other crops’ yield would record a significant increase this year.
Ihasanullah Bambwal told Pajhwok Afghan News the production of fresh fruits particularly apple and apricots and other crops would surge drastically.
“Drought, lack of water and inappropriate season had affected the cultivations last year,” he said.
He said this year farmers faced no lack of water and the season was appropriate. According to the official, they are expecting 130,000 tons of apple and 18,000 tons of apricot and 35,000 tons of wheat production this year.
Bambwal said there would be a significant increase in the potato harvest compared to the past 20 years.
He added some farmers in neighboring districts with Kabul had switched to cultivating vegetables instead of fruits and grains and several growers had established green houses for cucumber, tomato and other vegetables.
He informed a six percent surge was expected in plums, seven percent in almond, and five percent increase in pear, walnut and barriers crops.
Ibrahim Hayat, a resident of Nerkh district, said apricots had a bumper yield and hoped to collect better apple yield. He linked the good yields to enough water.
Maidan Wardak is home to gardens of apple, apricot, peach, plums, walnut, almond, berries and pear. Besides wheat, beans, oats and several other crops and vegetables like potato, onion, tomatoes, pumpkins and others are cultivated in the province.
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