Some farmers in Balkh province claim that cotton production has increased by 40% this year, but there is a lack of necessary market demand for this agricultural product. These farmers argue that the import of machine-picked cotton into the country has negatively affected the sales of domestic cotton and reduced its market prosperity. On the other hand, due to economic difficulties, some farmers in this province have been unable to cultivate their lands and are currently working on the lands of others.
Cotton is one of the country’s industrial crops, and it is extensively cultivated in Balkh province, yielding good results. Farmers in this province assert that considering their efforts and expenses, there is insufficient market demand for cotton in the country.
Farmers in Balkh refer to cotton as the “white gold.” Annually, thousands of acres of land in this province are cultivated by farmers to obtain this “white gold”. However, in the absence of a necessary market for sales, farmers end up sacrificing the sole purpose of growing this plant.
According to the information from Balkh’s farmers, various breeds of cotton are cultivated in this province. They claim that their breeds, specifically the “Pouzaeshan,” “Turki,” and “Akela,” have shown good results in Balkh. According to some Balkh farmers, these breeds exhibit better quality and yield better results in a shorter period compared to local cotton seeds.
Meanwhile, despite the increased cotton yield, some farmers in Balkh are complaining about the high cost of chemical fertilizers, water shortages, and the lack of market sales. They claim that the price of cotton has decreased by about 50% compared to previous years.
Bahador, a farmer in Balkh district, Balkh province, is among those affected. Alongside cultivating wheat, he has dedicated a portion of his land to cotton. Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, he said, “It’s as if bad luck follows us at every turn. Every year, we used to plant all our lands with wheat and sesame, which held value. But this year, we decided to plant cotton, and planting cotton has devalued. No one is buying anything in the market. Money has completely vanished. We were content with the cotton crop, yet we can only get back our expenses.”
Shir Mohammad is one of the farmers in the Dawlat Abad district of Balkh province. He has been engaged in agriculture for many years, steering the course of his life through these efforts. He expresses, “Every passing day, life becomes tougher. People are facing worsening conditions and becoming more dependent, and poorer.”
Concerned about the lack of a cotton market in Balkh, he adds, “Cotton, referred to as white gold, now holds no value. Through the years, we used to sell a mound (224 kilograms) of seeded cotton for over 21,000 Afghanis, and now we sell the same amount for 11,000 Afghanis. Now, you can understand what state people are living in.” With a poignant question, he highlights how farmers in Balkh used to sustain their livelihoods through cotton sales, pondering the challenging circumstances they now face.
The harsh economic conditions have led some landholding farmers to struggle due to the lack of water and the high cost of chemical fertilizers, preventing them from cultivating cotton on their lands. Zia Khan, a young landowner, explains how economic challenges and the inability to afford chemical fertilizers and access water have pushed him to work on other people’s lands. He states, “Cotton is a halal, valuable, and good crop. No one disagrees, but our primary issue is the lack of water. We can’t properly irrigate our lands. Let’s not overlook the injustice; our water usage is unfair because it’s all from underground water and these lands are irrigated by diesel machines.”
Unable to sow cotton on his lands, he adds, “We don’t have the capital to set up solar power for ourselves, and the underground water has depleted. I own the land, but I couldn’t cultivate it. Now I’m a tenant farmer and work for a share of ¼ of the cultivation because I can’t afford the expenses for fuel, water, and chemical fertilizers.”
According to the statistics provided by the Taliban’s Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock in Balkh province, this year, 28,000 hectares of land in the province have been cultivated with cotton. Shamsullah Khalid, the head of the Directorate of Agriculture, Irriga,tion and Livestock for the Taliban in this province, informed local media that an estimated 60,000 metric tons of cotton will be produced this year, indicating an increase of 37 to 40 percent compared to last year.
It’s notable that the cotton planting season in Balkh province begins in mid-Hamal (April-May) and continues until Saratan (June-July). As per Balkh farmers, the harvest season for cotton begins from mid-Mizan (September-October) and continues until mid-Qaws (November-December).
However, some cotton sellers suggest that the lack of a market is directly linked to unemployment and the adverse economic conditions in the country. According to them, over the past two years, most individuals have lost their jobs, making everyday living conditions more challenging for people.
This occurs while the Taliban show little concern for the people and the absence of a market. Instead, they relieve government employees from their duties on various pretexts and replace them with their fighters and affiliates.
