PAKTIA (Pajhwok): Orchard owners in southeastern Paktia province say their orchards yielded better yields this year compared to the previous years, but the fruits are being sold at lower prices due to the lack of a suitable market. They demanded of the government to find market and and construct cold storage facilities for their crops.

Faizullah, an apple orchard owner in Gardez, the capital of Paktia, told Pajhwok Afghan News that this year's apple harvest in the province was good, but the fruit was spoiling due to the lack of market.

He added:“So far, apples from only one or two orchards in our village have been sold, and other orchards remain unsold, and traders even do not bother to ask about them.”

Jamal Shah, an orchardist in Zurmat district, told Pajhwok:“Apples often do not have a good market during the season. If the government and relevant authorities construct cold storage facilities, the apple harvest will be safe.”

According to his information, currently, seven kilograms of apples are sold in the market for 100 to 120 afghanis.

Similarly, a Paktia trader, Dilawar, said there were no places to store apples, nor a good market existed at home.

He said that neighboring countries often close their borders during harvest season, thus traders were reluctant to buy more apple orchards.

He called on the Islamic Emirate to provide opportunities for exporting fruits, especially apples, to other places in addition to neighboring countries, so that gardeners and traders do not face losses.

Sangarmal Jalali, the head of horticulture at the Paktia Department of Agriculture, said this year, apple yields in Paktia had increased by about 10 to 15 percent, but the lack of water had damaged some orchards.

He said:“We have built cold storage facilities in Gardez and in the districts, and we encouraged people to make good use of them. The Department of Agriculture has always encouraged traders to rent an important and large cold storage facility built by Turkey in the province and store their fruits in it.”

Sangarmal added that one of the reasons for the increase in apple yields was that they trained farmers in different areas and provided assistance to them.

According to officials from the Department of Agriculture, a number of cold storage facilities have been built in Paktia to preserve vegetables.

ma

MENAFN06102025000174011037ID1110157243