Grape harvest in Feroznakhchir and Hazrat Sultan districts of Samangan province increased by 10% this year compare to the year before, but its prices declined by 38%, officials in provincial Agriculture and Livestock Department said.
Administrative officer of the department, Mohammad Usman Hanafi, told Pajhwok Afghan News that other areas of the province also had grape orchards but the two districts were the major producers of the sweet fruit.
He said figures of the department show that there are at least 1,400 hectares of grape orchards in the districts.
He further added that the orchards last year yielded 15,000 tons of grapes, but the figure this year reached to 16,500 tones.
However, he said orchard owners complained that they sold one kilogram of the fresh fruit for 37 AFN last year but the price declined to 23 AFN this year.
Hanifi termed increase in tariff by Pakistan on Afghan fruits the main reason behind the decrease in price.
A fresh fruit trader Mohammad Sharif, who exported 500 tons of fruit to Pakistan and domestic markets, says Pakistan was charging 100 Pakistani rupees as tariffs on every tone of grape but the amount increased to 300 rupees this year.
