Jalalabad (PAN): Laghman officials said people’s economy depend 80 % on agriculture and livestock but multiple problems still create hurdles for farmers and leave negative impact on their economy.
They admitted some projects are implemented during the last few years but the sector face formidable challenges, which need to be resolved by establishing processing factories and large warehouse.
Agriculture:
Provincial head of agriculture and livestock, engineer Muhammad Ismail Daulatzai told Pajhwok Afghan News 80 % people of the province associate with the profession of livestock and agriculture. The agriculture sector achieved developments as compared to the past but still it face problems of huge magnitude.
“Most of Laghman’s lands are water-fed and the entire province presents a green picture because of enough water. However, its water cannot be utilized the way it should be,” he added.
If focus is shifted toward the promotion of agriculture and livestock sectors with construction of dams then the agriculture would boom further.
Livestock and agriculture sectors are heading on path to modernization. Under the cooperative schemes, tractors were distributed among farmer community, he added. The main problem being faced by the agriculture sector is the unavailability of Agriculture Development Bank.
Nangarhar produces thousands tones of fruits and vegetables every year, which are being consumed in Laghman, Nangarhar and Kabul provinces.
Grapes, apricot, palm, peach and other kind of fruits grow in the province abundantly, but Laghman has no vegetable processing factory, he said, adding cold storage facilities need to be built in different districts. He said poultry and fisheries forms were also built in the province.
He called upon the investors to come forward and establish small and big processing factories in the province. Land owners and farmers complained they were not extended with the help they needed in the agro sector. The farmers said their products have no proper market to be sold and their products go waste most of the time.
Nisar, a resident of Alingar district said he planted tomato and cucumber, which have a bumper crop but again there is no cold storage facilities in Laghman to keep them fresh. He said due to the absence of storage facilities, his fruits and vegetables go waster every year.
“Currently, tomatoes, cucumber and onions can be found in market in such a large quantity that no one is ready to buy one kilogram at the rate of 10 Afs. In this state of affairs, there should be storage facilities to keep them fresh for future use,” he suggested. 
He said if a big storage facility is built for the vegetables then it would leave positive impact on the farmers’ economy. Land owners and farmers need basic facilities and the prime need is the establishment of an organized water system and there should be a proper market for their products.
Romal, a resident of Qarghayio district said small water dams should be built in every district and a proper market should be found for fruits and vegetables.
“We grow carrots but no one buys it even at the rate of 10 Afs. The same carrots are then exported to Pakistan where after processing, Islamabad resells the same carrot on Afghanistan with higher prices,” he added.
Building of dams, promoting agriculture, finding a good market for their product and to processing the fruits and vegetables are keys to resolve problems of farmers in agriculture sector, he added.
Agriculturist Haji Gula Jan told Pajhwok Afghan News so far growers themselves are responsible for taking care of their agriculture and horticulture as the government does not extend any fundamental assistance.
However, vocational workshops were arranged for a large number of landlords and farmers in a bid to create awareness among them to curtail their problems and promote the livestock and agriculture sectors.
“If the government wants to earnestly promote the economy of farmers and landlords then fundamental assistance should be extended to facilitate them. The government should help grower community with introducing of an organized irrigation system and finding a proper market for their products,” he remarked.
Qari Mir Hatem Tarakhel, head of Laghman provincial council said the government did not take measures to support the economy of farmers in Nangarhar. He said the province has no processing factory and cold storage facilities, which negatively impact the crops and agriculture products such as fruits and vegetables.  
He underlined the need the government and investors could play their role to establish processing factories and cold storage facilities for the Laghman growers.
Trade and investment:
Some of Laghman businessmen expressed satisfaction over the security situation by saying that enhanced security left positive impact on business and trade activities.
Businessman Ghulam Saddiq said trade activities were paralyzed few months back but sharp improvement in law and order left considerable positive impact on business related activities. “Bolstered security helped businessmen to carry out their business activities without any sense of fear or concern,” he added. Earlier, unidentified Taliban used to kidnap businessmen or their relatives for ransom. The militants freed the kidnapped traders for ransom or shot them dead if they were not paid.
Locals said there is no industrial zone, which is yet another problem, adding the businessmen would establish factories if the province has any industrial zone. Another businessman Ihsanullah Khapalwak said the absence of factories in Laghman is due to unavailability of electricity because most of the businessmen and investors do not want to invest without electricity.
Handicraft:
Progress has been achieved in Laghman handicraft sector as compared to the past. Almost a decade ago, the handicraft was ceased to exist but now the province has two handicraft factories.
Clothes embroidery and a carpet weaving industries have now been functioning in the province. Zamzama, a carpet weaving woman said she weaved one or even two carpets in a month but the problem they face is the unavailability of raw material being used in the profession. 
“We bring raw material from Pakistan, which shoot up its prices. If we have woolen factories locally then most of the problems are finished,” she added.     
She said another problem being faced by the booming industry is that they have no carpet washing and scissoring machines in the province, which bring up the prices of the carpet.  Laima, a worker in a small embroidery factory told Pajhwok Afghan News her business is booming these days. During the old days, people do not use embroidery clothes and they preferred to buy clothes with machine embroidery from Peshawar. However, now embroidery business is spreading. She also complained they are facing acute shortage of raw material being used in the embroidery, adding they import the stuff from Pakistan, which bring the prices of the stuff up. She said if the raw material start producing inside Afghanistan then its prices can be brought down.