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Basil cultivation increases in Helmand and Kandahar after poppy ban
Local officials in these provinces say basil has been planted on more than 2,000 hectares of land this year, and that 3,000 tons will be harvested.
Following a nationwide ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, farmers in Helmand and Kandahar provinces have turned to growing basil as an alternative crop.
Local officials in these provinces say basil has been planted on more than 2,000 hectares of land this year, and that 3,000 tons will be harvested.
In Kandahar over 1,000 hectares has been used for basil.
“The cultivation of basil in Kandahar has increased this year. Most of the farmers have started growing basil. The reason is abundant water and good rains,” said Muhammad Hanif Haqmal, the spokesman of the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock in Kandahar.
Basil cultivation has also increased in Helmand province. According to local officials, more than 1,400 acres of land has been used for basil, from which nearly 2,000 tons will be harvested.
Farmers, however, complain about the declining prices of basil. They say basil prices have decreased by 30 percent this year.
According to officials, last year the price of one kilogram of basil at markets was 500 afghanis, but this year one kilogram of basil sells for 280 afghanis to 300 afghanis.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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