Nearly 7,000 poultry farms operating in Afghanistan: ministry

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) officials say they are trying to provide the ground for the expansion of investment in the production of eggs and chicken meat in the country.

The ministry officials say there are currently about 7,000 poultry farms in the country and the number of these farms is increasing every day.

Meanwhile, egg and chicken meat importers union said that domestic producers only supply five percent of eggs and chicken meat in the country’s markets and cannot meet the market’s needs.

They ask the agriculture ministry to provide the necessary facilities in the field of importing eggs to the country.

“It was 10 percent of the product, which has increased by 16 percent. We don’t even have 5 percent of production, if there is production, they should supply our market, we will stop importing at all,” said Sayed Ahmad Kohdamani, head of egg and chicken meat importers union.

A number of egg sellers also say the domestic production is small and most of the eggs are imported from Iran, Uzbekistan and Pakistan and sold in the markets of the country, and their prices have also increased.

“It’s not a problem for us, because we import, we pay our taxes, but raising an egg from six rupees to nine rupees with the lie and conspiracy that we have domestic products, nothing is available at all, said an egg seller with concern.

“Previously, we used to bring the goods and pay ten percent, which we offered to the people for seven and six and a half afghanis, while we sell one egg for approximately eight to eight and a half rupees,” the seller added.

Finance ministry officials meanwhile speak of serious measures that they will control the price of food items in the domestic markets and emphasize that the seasonal tariffs of some items, including eggs, have increased and may be reduced if necessary.