Business
Saffron flower harvesting process underway in Helmand
In order to promote saffron cultivation in Helmand province, the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) set up 12 model farms in the province last year and farmers are now harvesting their “gold”.
“Saffron cultivation in Helmand has been successful, I hope it grows [throughout] Helmand in future,” said Zalmai Alko, the provincial director of agriculture.
Alko says they established 12 model farms in Helmand to promote saffron cultivation, and farmers tending the crops have been provided with the necessary equipment. He also said these farmers were in desperate need of assistance and will now hopefully be able to move forward and earn a living from saffron.
He said that creating jobs for these farmers was a key driving force behind the establishment of the farms.
According to him, the Helmand climate is suitable for saffron cultivation and he hopes saffron farming will become more prolific in the province.
Last year, 15 saffron farms were established as part of the pilot program in Helmand, which have now yielded results, Alko said.
Helmand is infamous for the proliferation of poppy farming for opium which ends up around the world as heroin and over the years the Afghan government has tried to encourage poor farmers to move away from the illicit cultivation of poppies and switch instead to crops including wheat and pomegranates – and now, hopefully, also saffron.
The saffron flower has purple petals, yellow stamens and a three-part red-orange stigma that becomes the saffron strands.
It is usually only harvested once a year in other parts of the country, but agriculture experts believe that due to the Helmand climate, saffron might grow year-round in the province, allowing for two harvests a year.
Currently one kilogram of saffron costs about $6,000 in the region and as much as $8,000 on international markets. Growing saffron may therefore potentially be very lucrative for farmers.
Business
Turkmenistan makes ‘significant progress’ on TAPI pipeline project
Turkmenistan has made “significant progress” on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, said TAPI Pipeline Company Limited CEO Muhammetmyrat Amanov.
“Turkmenistan is making significant progress on the TAPI natural gas pipeline, which will supply 33 billion cubic meters to South Asia annually,” he said.
Speaking at the Turkmen Energy Investment Forum (TEIF 2024) currently being held in Paris, Amanov highlighted that Turkmenistan’s section of the pipeline had been completed and ongoing discussions to advance the project beyond Turkmenistan were in strict alignment with the international standards.
He said the project envisaged environmental sustainability by leveraging natural gas to reduce emissions significantly compared to coal and oil, thereby tackling indoor pollution and enhancing regional air quality.
“In light of the ongoing project developments, Turkmenistan remains committed to upholding the international law, fulfilling its obligations and adhering to international norms and regulations,” he said.
This approach reaffirms Turkmenistan’s dedication to global cooperation and legal integrity in executing the TAPI project.
Looking ahead, the project’s focus is shifting to the Herat Offtake Strategy in Afghanistan, which will play a critical role in environmental protection by reducing air pollution, while also contributing to maintaining public safety, he said.
Business
Azizi calls on Malaysian investors to invest in Afghanistan
Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, met with representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs, defense and interior of Malaysia, along with other senior officials, on Wednesday and called on Malaysians to invest in Afghanistan.
The visiting delegation is being led by senior diplomat Dr. Shazelina Zainul Abidin.
According to the IEA’s foreign ministry, the two sides discussed bilateral trade, holding a business communication conference to strengthen trade relations between the two countries, the trade balance between Afghanistan and Malaysia, and creating a market for Afghan products, including carpets, cotton, and minerals.
According to the ministry, at the end of the meeting, the Acting Minister emphasized the increase of investment from regional countries in Afghanistan and called on Malaysian investors to also invest in Afghanistan.
Business
Afghanistan starts exporting via railway to Turkey
The Ministry of Interior says that Afghanistan has started exporting goods to Turkey via the Herat-Khaf railway line.
In a post on X, the ministry said: “Afghanistan’s exports to Turkey started in a calm atmosphere through the Herat-Khaf railway line.”
The ministry added that one train will run daily for a month and then two trains will run daily.
According to the ministry, the security of Khaf-Herat railway line is provided by the guards of the National Public Protection Agency.
Khaf-Herat railway project not only connects Iran and Afghanistan by rail, but also completes a 2,000-kilometer route along the east-west rail corridor from China, through Uzbekistan, to Afghanistan, to Iran, and on to Turkey and Europe.
As a landlocked country, this railway network will provide a safe route to connect with Europe via Iran’s railway network and Iran’s southern ports.
This railway line is strategic for trade between Iran and Afghanistan and will allow six million tons of goods to be sent between the two countries.
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