CHARIKAR (PAN): The economy of the residents of central Parwan province mainly depends on agriculture, gardening and livestock, officials and residents said.
 
Parwan is located 60 kilometers to the north of central Kabul province from where a lot of vegetables and fresh fruits are being exported to the capital. Officials said 80 percent economy of the population depends on agriculture and gardening with a number of them associate with profession of livestock and trade.  
 
Abdul Kabir Farzam, head of agriculture, irrigation and livestock department said a huge quantity of fruits and vegetables such as grapes, apricots, almonds and peaches as growing fresh fruits and squash, okra, cauliflower and onion were being cultivated in the province.
 
Talking to Pajhwok Afghan News, he said most of the vegetables were being cultivated in Bagarm, Surkh-i-Parsa, Siagird and Shinwari districts including the provincial capital.
 
“We have intensified efforts to promote the agriculture sector and we still strive to put the vital agro sector on modern lines,” he added. He claimed the orchard sector witnessed considerable progress in the province, resulting in production of more fresh fruit.
 
He said distribution of improved seeds and chemical fertilizers among farmers helped produced bumper crops, resulting in boom of local economy.
 
His department has trained growers in areas of cultivating vegetables, he said, adding they were trying to enhance their efforts in remote districts to strengthen the sector.
 
He admitted problems were being faced by the growers in Parwan where many times crops were damaged due to various kinds of diseases.
 
Director of the agriculture and irrigation department identified absence of proper market for agriculture crops and green houses for keeping vegetables and fruits fresh was a big problem, adding that the problem forced farmers to sell their products on throw away prices.
Complaining of lack of agriculture medicine and machineries, he said they planned to create 700 grapes fruits in the province and distribute improved seeds and chemical fertilizer among growers during the next month.
 
A number of honey bee, chicken and fish training farms were also established in Parwan, who said construction work on a green house, having 40,000 metric tons capacity was underway in Bagram district. He said they have plans to build 25 more similar facilities in the province.
 
Ghulam Daud, a grower complained he has cultivated tomatoes on his 0.5 acres of land but it was infected by a specific kind of disease who expressed fear he would not to get the amount of the money in return he spent.
 
They could not earn enough income of vegetables as they buy fresh vegetables by fewer prices from farmers and sold it by similar on clients, a shopkeeper Husain Shah complained.  “I purchased seven kilograms of tomatoes from growers at the rate of 50 or 60 Afs but sold it at the rate of 70 Afs,” he added.
 
Haji Malang, a vegetables trader said he purchased 2,000 vines of grapes each year but he could not get appropriate income from it due to absence of good market.
 
He said he bought seven kilograms raisins from gardeners at the rate of 120 Afs but he could not sell it with the same price.
 
Haji Malang said Pakistani goods occupied market of domestic vegetables and fruits, asking authorities to set up green houses facilities to promote the local agricultural related products.
 
Another vegetable trader Haji Ghulam Rassoul expressed optimism by saying he bought fresh vegetables with lower prices in Parwan and sold it with high prices in Kabul markets.
 
Shakilla, a resident of Charikar city said a large number of women in the province were associated with the profession of handicrafts such as embroidery and tailoring. She said a number of women were busy of drying fresh vegetables in order to support their day to day expenses.
 
Shakila complained there was no proper market for women handicraft, demanding the authorities to focus to resolve problems being confronted by the women folk.