Nimroz livestock sector registers growth

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): Livestock in western Nimroz province witnessed a 30 percent growth after more than 5,000 animals perished in 2013, officials said on Wednesday.

Muhammad Akbar Sharifi, the director of agriculture, irrigation and livestock, told Pajhwok Afghan News that more than 3,300 cows and 2,400 sheep had died in Kang and Chakhansor districts due to a shortage of water and fodder.

The deaths dealt a severe blow to livestock farmers but this year the number of domestic animals improved because of continued rains, which enabled locals to make up for the losses they had suffered last year.

He said in 2013, there were more than 120,000 livestock, including cows, sheep and goats in Nimroz, but more than 5,000 of them had been eliminated.

This year, local official said the number of livestock reached to 150,000.

Ghulam Jilani, a resident of Chakhansor district, said economy of most of residents was depended on livestock because there was no other source of revenue.

He added his ten sheep had been perished due to shortage of feed and water last year.  

sam/mm/rm

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