Rains to have good effect on crops including poppies

KABUL): Like other crops, poppy production is expected to increase next year due to recent snowfall and rains across the country, officials said on Monday.

The meteorological department says the recent snowfall in central and northern provinces had been unprecedented over the past 15 years.

“The snowfall and cold weather in different parts of the country, especially in Kandahar, will have a good effect on the poppy crop,” the Kandahar agriculture director told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Eng. Ahmad Shah Roshan said although a poppy eradication campaign had been conducted ahead of cultivation in the southern province, the yield was expected to increase in areas controlled by the Taliban.

Abdul Qayyum, a resident of the Zheri district, said most of lands in the district had been cleared of poppy crops during the campaign, but people in remote areas were optimistic about good poppy yield next year. He said the atmosphere was deemed to be helpful in producing more opium past from poppy bulbs.

Meanwhile, the agriculture director for southern Helmand province, the world’s largest opium producing region, Eng. Abdullah Ahmadzai believed more snowfall could damage poppy crops in cold areas.  

Abdul Qayum, a resident of Nad Ali district, said he believed more rains could save agricultural crops, especially poppy, from natural diseases and could help plants to grow fast.

Agriculture director for eastern Nangarhar province Mohammad Hussain said further rains would only benefit poppy crops because the ground had already absorbed a lot of rain water.

He said if poppy crops received more rains in warm areas, the yield would be high, but the crops could damage if snowfall resumed in cold areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture says the recent rains would help overcome drought and improve crops.

nm/ma

Visits: 2