Herat Orchard Owners Report Higher Fruit Yields Despite Persistent Challenges

The agricultural sector in Herat province covers around 400,000 hectares of land. Out of this total, more than 28,000 hectares are dedicated to orchards. Various crops and fruits are grown in these orchards. The list includes wheat, saffron, grapes, pomegranates, almonds, apricots, peaches and pistachios.

This year has brought significantly higher fruit yields for orchard owners in the province. The reason for the increase is better weather conditions than those experienced in previous years. As a result, some orchard owners expect their production levels to nearly double compared to last year.

One example is Abdul Zahir. He harvested up to three tonnes of fruit last year. His orchard is 2.5 jeribs in size and is located in Karukh district. It contains peaches, plums and cherries. This year he expects to harvest over five tonnes from the same orchard.

Orchard owners continue to deal with several persistent challenges. A shortage of standard cold storage facilities is one issue. Another is the limited knowledge of drip irrigation systems. Restricted access to markets adds to the difficulties.

Since the beginning of the current year, 24 tonnes of apples have been exported from Herat. Officials have taken note of the province's 28,000 hectares of orchards. They have also mentioned efforts to boost exports of the produce.