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Cotton cultivation increases in Helmand after poppy ban
More areas of land have been cultivated with cotton in southern Helmand province after the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) imposed a ban on poppy cultivation.
Last year, a total of 13,174 hectares of land were cultivated with cotton, but this year it has increased to 15,730 hectares, according to local officials.
Pests and drought, however, have affected cotton harvest this year.
“This year, 15,370 hectares of agricultural land were cultivated with cotton, which is higher than last year; but this this year’s harvest is lower due to pests and drought,” said Mohammad Nasim Muslim, promotion manager of the provincial directorate of agriculture, irrigation and livestock.
Local residents also said that cotton price and demand are good this year, but pests and drought have affected cotton harvest.
“This year, there is no poppy that is why more cotton has been cultivated. Cotton has good price and market, but farmers may not cover their expenses because harvest is low this year,” said Mohammad Hussain, a local resident.
There are 35 cotton processing factories in Helmand.
“If these factories process the entire cotton harvest of this year, we could supply three provinces with oil, eight provinces with cottonseed meal and 10 provinces with soaps,” said Ghulam Yahya Pakhtun, head of Helmand Chamber of Commerce.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has announced that it will continue providing its essential health services to the people of Afghanistan.
In a post on X, the organization, referring to Afghanistan’s health needs, said that over the past year it has been active in various health sectors across the country, ranging from maternal and child care to emergency response, as well as the treatment of patients suffering from tuberculosis and severe injuries.
According to MSF, its teams over the past year have been present at a range of health facilities, including neonatal intensive care units, operating theatres, surgical centers, and specialized tuberculosis treatment wards, where they have delivered life-saving services to patients.
The organization stressed that it will continue ensuring the provision of health services, particularly for needy families and vulnerable communities in remote areas of Afghanistan.
The Embassy of Afghanistan in Japan, currently run by diplomats of the previous government, has announced that it will suspend its operations in Tokyo after the end of January 2026.
In a statement issued on Friday, the embassy said the decision was made after consultations with Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close coordination with Japanese authorities, and in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The embassy added that after January 31, all of its political, economic, cultural, and consular activities will be halted until further notice.
Currently, Shaida Abdali is serving as Afghanistan’s ambassador to Japan.
Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul, held a courtesy meeting with Zakir Jalali, the Second Political Deputy of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the occasion of the start of his mission.
The Turkish Embassy in Kabul said in a post that the meeting included mutual exchanges of views on bilateral relations.
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