Pomegranate growers in Kapisa’s Tagab district voice concerns about a substantial decrease in pomegranate yields. They attribute this drop to factors like water scarcity and natural pests. Additionally, the absence of a suitable pomegranate market is a worrisome issue for orchard owners in Kapisa. They report a significant price reduction, with one Kharwar (560 kilograms) of pomegranates dropping from 80,000 Afghanis to 40,000-45,000 Afghanis in this district. The lack of proper cold storage facilities is also a challenge lamented by Tagab district farmers.
As the Seedless Pomegranate harvesting season approaches in the Tagab district, some farmers in Kapisa province are anxious about the drastic reduction in the yield of this sought-after fruit. Niaz Mohammad, a pomegranate grower from the Tagab district in Kapisa province, stated to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, “The pomegranate harvest this year falls short of last year’s. Despite last year’s damage from rain and hail, the yields were promising. However, this year, severe water scarcity has significantly reduced the size of the pomegranates.” He attributes the decline in pomegranate yields in this district to water scarcity and natural pests.
This farmer adds, “This year, a disease affected most of our orchards, and the Taliban’s agriculture department didn’t adequately support us with fertilizers or pest control guidance. We couldn’t purchase fertilizers ourselves.” Farmers also mention that the absence of an appropriate pomegranate market is another challenge they face this year.
Darwish Safi, one of the pomegranate growers and traders in Kapisa province’s Tagab district, also reports a 50% drop in pomegranate prices compared to the previous year. According to him, the price of a Kharwar (560 kilograms) of pomegranates has fallen from 80,000 Afghanis to 40,000 Afghanis, while the price of a Kharwar of sour pomegranates has decreased from 24,000 Afghanis to 16,000 Afghanis.
He further explains, “The pomegranate price is strongly influenced by the situation in Pakistan. The devaluation of the Pakistani rupee and unfavorable market conditions in that country contributed to the pomegranates not receiving a fair price. Furthermore, there are instances where prices decrease when the Torkham border is closed.”
On the other hand, some Kapisa farmers are demanding the export of seedless pomegranate from this province to other countries. According to them, Pakistan purchases Afghan seedless pomegranate at a negligible price but exports it under its name to other countries.
Nusratullah, another farmer, laments, “The worth of our products has been steadily dwindling over the years, yet it seems no one is taking notice. Currently, only pomegranates and a few other fruits are being exported to Pakistan at minimal prices. The responsibility falls on the Taliban, or any government, to promote the sale of Afghan agricultural products to countries beyond Pakistan.”
Farmers in the Tagab district of Kapisa province continue to lament the lack of cold storage facilities in their region. They state that the absence of cold storage facilities makes it challenging to preserve pomegranates. Nusratullah adds, “If standard cold storage facilities were available and we could store our products, especially pomegranates, for a few months, we could sell them at a much better price later. On the other hand, the Taliban are not assisting farmers. At the very least, they should provide us with chemical fertilizers and pesticides for free.”
Local Taliban officials in Kapisa have also confirmed that pomegranate yields in the Tagab district of the province have decreased compared to the previous year. Rohullah Rohani, the head of the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock for the Taliban in Kapisa, told the Afghanistan National Television, under their administration, that more than 30,000 tons of pomegranates have been harvested from over 1,650 hectares of land in the Tagab district of this province.
This comes at a time when last year, the head of the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock for the Taliban in Kapisa province announced that 33,000 tons of pomegranates had been harvested from the orchards in this province.
Rohani added that due to water scarcity challenges, they plan to construct two water dams in the Tagab district within the coming year.
He stated, “We plan to construct water dams at two locations with ample water resources in this district, and building these dams will address the water-related issues faced by orchard owners.”
The province of Kapisa cultivates various pomegranate types, These types are called seedless, Maykhosh, Shirinak, and sour pomegranates. Among these, seedless pomegranates, renowned for their popularity and higher value, flourish in Kapisa’s Tagab district, known for its semi-arid and semi-tropical climate. The majority of Kapisa’s pomegranate orchards are situated in the Tagab district.
Note:
1 Seer = 7.07 kg
1 Jareeb (land measurement) = 2,000 square meters (standardized)
1 Kharwar = 80 Seers = 560 kilograms
