Farmers in Helmand have turned to cultivating basil plants instead of poppies.
The Provincial Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock said that nearly 1,500 hectares of land have been planted with basil this year.
Mohammad Naseem, the head of the agricultural promotion at the Helmand Agriculture and Irrigation Department, said: “In 1403, 1,432 hectares of land were planted with basil, yielding 2,577.5 metric tons.”
Abdul Malik, a 34-year-old farmer who has cultivated basil on 18 acres of land, mentioned that he used to plant poppies on his land in previous years. However, after the Islamic Emirate banned poppy cultivation, he turned to planting basil and hopes for a better yield.
Abdul Malik told TOLOnews, “I used to plant poppies, but now I’ve turned to cultivating these plants you see. I’m happy because if it’s well-tended and watered, it can yield as much as opium.”
However, farmers are asking officials to help market basil products.
Agha Gul, another farmer, said: “When we sell our crops and grains, they are bought from us at a low price and sold again at a higher price.”
Zainullah, another farmer, said, “If markets are found for agricultural products and they become active, it will benefit both us and the traders.”
According to information from the Helmand Agriculture and Irrigation Department, over a thousand acres of land in the province were planted with basil last year, yielding two thousand tons of the product.
