Several farmers in Kunduz province report an increase in wheat production compared to last year. However, they express frustration over the Taliban’s compulsory collection of Ushr (Islamic tax) and zakat (Islamic charity). According to the farmers, the Taliban demand high taxes without providing any assistance or facilities in return. They accuse the Taliban of distributing improved seed varieties only in Pashtun-majority areas previously under Taliban control.
Farmers in the districts of Imam Sahib, Chahar Dara, and Khan Abad in Kunduz say that seasonal rains have benefited their crops, but the agriculture department under Taliban control has not offered any help or cooperation. They claim that while the Taliban annually collect Ushr and zakat from their harvests, they do not provide improved seeds, chemical fertilizers, or other agricultural aids.
Mohammad Qasim, a farmer in Kunduz province, stated, “The Taliban come to collect Ushr but offer no assistance. Without connections or influence, we do not receive improved seeds. They only distribute these to their people.”
Additionally, Kunduz farmers report having to rent agricultural equipment at high prices from private companies, with the cost of chemical fertilizers also being unaffordable for many. They state that the combination of forced tax collection, low wheat prices, and labor-intensive work yields little profit.
Gul Mohammad, a farmer from Chahar Dara district, voiced concern over the compulsory Ushr collection by the Taliban. He said, “This year’s wheat yield is good, but if we had access to improved seeds and chemical fertilizers, our production would be even higher. [The Taliban] just come, take Ushr, and leave.”
Many farmers in Kunduz province accuse the Taliban of ethnic favoritism and discriminatory behavior. They claim the Taliban primarily distribute improved seeds in Pashtun-majority areas that were under their control during the previous government.
Local Taliban officials in the Kunduz Agriculture and Livestock Department report that over 60,000 hectares of land in the province have been planted with wheat this year. They claim wheat production has increased by 10 to 15 percent compared to previous years.
The Taliban-controlled Agriculture and Livestock Department in Kunduz has repeatedly claimed that agriculture is being standardized, but most farmers reject these claims. They state that they still practice traditional farming methods, and their yields reflect these traditional standards.
Moreover, farmers in Kunduz are concerned about the lack of a proper market and low prices for their produce. They say that prices drop during the harvest season for crops such as wheat, fruits, and other agricultural products, and companies and traders buy the produce at low rates, only to sell it later at higher prices.
These farmers are calling for establishing suitable markets for their agricultural products, arguing that without such markets, their continuous hard work does not improve their economic situation, and they can only meet their basic living needs.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
زورگیری طالبان؛ دهقانان از جمعآوری عشر و زکات اجباری به تنگ آمدهاند | روزنامه ۸صبح