UN Estimates 50% Boost in Agriculture Products

ROME, May 5 (Quqnoos): A top official of the United Nation Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) signaled a boom in legal agriculture products in Afghanistan.

Country Representative of the UN FAO, Tekeste Tekie, said wheat cultivation has risen rapidly in many provinces in the country.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock confirms the increase in the wheat cultivation in the country.

Mr. Tekie informed of an 85 per cent increase in wheat cultivation alone.

“At this stage, the estimated yield will be 40 to 50 per cent more than the last year,” Mr. Tekie added.

Ghulam Rabbani Haqqatpal, head of Statistics and Marketing of Agriculture Ministry, declared approximately 3.4 million hectares of lands are being farmed this year, mostly wheat and vegetable.

The extraordinary rainfall in the country strongly impacts the drought confronting farmers in recent years.

The stable northern provinces that are mostly marked as poppy-free zones are the major wheat and rice production region.

Farmers have grown some 30 per cent more wheat than the last year, the head of UNFAO in Afghanistan said.

Mr. Tekie added more steps are to be put forward to modernise Agro-business in Afghanistan.

“More investment should be done in agriculture by certified seeds, fertilizers and plant protection to fight against pests,” UNFAO Afghan chief said.