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Herat hoping to harvest up to 30 tons of saffron this year
Herat’s department of agriculture and livestock says farmers in the province have planted saffron on more than 8,000 hectares of land this year, and they will probably harvest up to 30 tons.
Marking the Saffron Flower Festival held Thursday in Herat where processing companies and saffron growers showcased their products in 40 booths, Pir Mohammad Halimi, head of the agriculture and livestock department, said: “Nearly, 20,000 farmers are busy in the saffron sector in Herat province, and compared to last year, the saffron yield in this province is good. Last year, up to 20 tons of saffron was produced, and this year it is expected to reach 30 tons.”
However, a number of saffron growers said that although farmers’ interest in saffron cultivation has increased, the basic work for the growth of this product has not been done.
According to them, the problems in saffron export have not been solved yet and farmers need training programs to improve their skills for saffron cultivation.
“Afghanistan’s saffron industry should be promoted more than this, educational courses should be held, the national brand of Afghanistan’s saffron should be taken so that Afghanistan’s saffron is not exported under the name of other countries,” said Jalil Ahmad Karimi, a saffron grower.
“The most important way to transfer saffron is participation in the international expo. At the national level, expos and symposiums as well as festivals are helpful,” said Abdul Shukoor Ahrari, head of one of the saffron processing companies in Herat.
Meanwhile, the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment has said that this year 21 tons of saffron has been exported and good profits have been obtained.
However, Afghanistan’s National Saffron Growers Union has pointed out that Afghan saffron still does not have a specific brand and is not introduced in the world markets.
“This year, about 21,684 kilos of saffron worth 21,561,000 dollars have been exported to foreign countries, most of which were exported to India, Saudi Arabia, Canada and Spain,” said Mohammad Yusof Amin, Executive Director of Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment.
“Our hope is still to have a market, to have better markets and we wish that we will reach European markets more than ever before,” said Bashir Ahmad Rashidi, head of Afghanistan’s National Saffron Growers Union.
Cooperation between the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment and the Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce has paved the way for exporting potatoes from Bamyan province to the Uzbek market.
In this regard, Sayed Karim Hashemi, President of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, and Doran Vahabov, President of the Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce, have agreed on the export of 100,000 tons of Bamyan potatoes to Uzbekistan. Work is underway to finalize the export agreement.
Meanwhile, the first shipment of potatoes, consisting of eight trucks, has departed for the Uzbek city of Termez through the Hairatan Port.
The chambers of commerce of both countries, in cooperation with local authorities in Bamyan, have facilitated connections between traders and farmers and coordinated the purchasing, marketing, and transportation of the produce. This initiative is expected to expand market opportunities for Bamyan farmers and strengthen trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
Afghanistan’s Prime Minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk in Kabul on Thursday evening, emphasizing the need to strengthen bilateral relations and expand economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to a statement from the Presidential Palace, several senior officials from both countries attended the meeting, including Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and representatives of Russia’s political and economic sectors.
Akhund described Afghanistan’s security and stability as favourable conditions for foreign investment and thanked Moscow for recognizing the Islamic Emirate and supporting Afghanistan in international forums.
Meanwhile, Overchuk praised the security situation and developments in Afghanistan, expressing Russia’s interest in investing in various sectors of the country.
He said around 70 representatives of Russia’s private sector were accompanying the delegation and were expected to hold discussions with relevant ministries and institutions of the Islamic Emirate on trade and investment agreements, as well as ways to address existing obstacles.
The Russian deputy prime minister reaffirmed his country’s support for Afghanistan in various fields.
Afghanistan’s private sector and the Russian Federation have signed 15 economic cooperation agreements worth a total of $103 million.
The agreements were signed in the presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, and Alexey Overchuk, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister.
Under the agreements, the two sides will cooperate in importing medicines, wheat, flour, and cooking oil into Afghanistan, as well as exporting fresh Afghan fruits, particularly pomegranates, to Russia.
Expanding bilateral trade relations and developing economic cooperation in various sectors are also among the key areas covered by the agreements.
According to officials, the agreements will facilitate two-way exports and imports between the two countries.
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