Hundreds of citrus fruits gardens are being planted in nearly a dozen districts of eastern Nangarhar province under the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL)’s national horticulture program.
Farmers will contribute 25 percent of the cost on the 250 citrus gardens in Nangarhar and MAIL will provide the remaining 75 percent cost, said Nangarhar Agriculture director Noorullah Sabawoon.
He told Pajhwok Afghan News the gardens of citrus fruits would be cultivated in 11 districts — Behsud, Surkhrod, Khewa, Dara-i-Noor, Kama, Goshta, Lalpura, Khogyani, Batikot, Ghanikhel and Momand Dara.
The official said MAIL would provide seedlings, fertilizer and other inputs to farmers for the citrus fruit gardens, which he said were seen as ‘a great alternative’ to poppy crop.
“If the yield of these gardens was good, it would be transported to many provinces and would help counter imported fruits.”
Matiullah, a farmer from Batikot district, said the government should provide other facilities to farmers besides establishment of gardens. He urged the government help to farmers cultivate their lands with different crops.
