Southeastern Paktika province produced more than 14,000 tons of pine nut this year, an official said on Monday.
Paktika Agriculture Director Abubakar Sediqi told Pajhwok Afghan News the pine nut yield was record high this season compared to the past six years.
He said 6,000 tons of pine nut was produced last year but the yield increased to 14,000 this year across the province.
He added people now paid more attention to pine nut harvests after it import started to neighboring China.
The agriculture director said around 30,000 metric tons of pine nut worth hundreds of millions of dollars were exported to China last year.
Aziz Aziz, a member of the provincial council, told Pajhwok pine nut yield increased this year and the government should find market for the dried fruit.
He urged the government to create processing centers for the pine nut in the province.
Izzatullah, a trader of the pine nut, was happy with the nut yields this year in the province.
He said the import of pine nut was delayed to China last year due to Covid-19, but the government should facilitate the import of pine nut to foreign countries besides China.
Ulfat Kharoti, a resident of the Sarobi district, told Pajhwok so far foreign and domestic traders had not visited them to buy pine nut due to coronavirus.
Meanwhile, agriculture department officials said efforts were underway to find domestic and foreign market for the pine nut this year.
