Daikundi woman starts up aloe vera farm

Jamila Sultani, chairwoman of the Nili city Women’s Council, in Daikundi province is making waves with her new industry – the local cultivation of aloe vera.

With the help of the Daikundi department of agriculture, Sultani was able to build a second greenhouse for the plants, after having built the first one herself.

Sultani started her project after getting young aloe vera plants from Kabul and is the first person to farm this plant in the province.

According to local agriculture officials, Daikundi’s climate is well suited to growing the succulent which has a broad spectrum of uses – including medicinal uses and its used in some energy drinks.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL)

 Had initiated greenhouse projects in three provinces in the past few years in a bid to provide farmers with an alternative to growing poppies.

Last year an aloe vera processing factory was inaugurated in Herat province. This plant is able to process at least 10 tons of the plant on a daily basis.

According to factory officials at least $2 million has been invested in the plant which is located in the industrial park in the city of Herat.