Trainkot (PAN): The economy of 98% people of Uruzgan depends on agriculture and livestock but due to government reluctance to develop the sectors, the financial miseries of the people multiply dramatically, officials and residents said.
Sardar Mohammad Alako, provincial head of agriculture and livestock department said majority of the people are associated with the occupation of agriculture and livestock but a matter of concern is that there is not suitable market for their products.
He demanded of the government to direct the officials of agriculture and livestock department to ensure provision of needed services and remove reservations of former community.
Lauding the role of Non Government Organizations, he said that a number of NGOs have been vigorously striving to extend cooperation to former community to provide them with refined seeds to bolster their crops.
He said that the province of Uruzgan is far away from the capital that’s why it is left ignored and backward.
Formers complained that a big quantity of their products neither fined a competitive market nor easy access to market, which costs vegetable and fruits to go waste, he remarked.
Another matter of concern, he said is that there is no formal storage facilities in the province and they could not keep their products fresh for long.
He said he made hectic efforts to find a suitable market locally as well as internationally for the widely famous Uruzgan almond but he could not succeed in his search efforts.
Mohammad Aslam, a resident of Kotwal locality complained the government could not provide them with refined seeds despite its earlier promises, adding that former community wants solution of issues including water shortage, construction of stores for keeping fruits and vegetables and exploring market for their products.
Sayed Rasool, a resident of Dihrawud District says: “Water is only available in monsoon season when the crops do not need but when the crops need water then we cannot find water for irrigation. Some of the formers manage to irrigate their fields with the help of tube wells.
“The construction of small dams and the establishment of storage facilities for fruits and vegetables will go a long way to bolster people’s economic situation on the one hand while on the other it will leave positive impact on the country’s exchequer,” he added.
He said that the province has two crops seasons but there is lack of market for the crops.
Amanullah Hotaki, head of provincial council held the government responsible for its failure to promote the agriculture and livestock. He lamented that the government did not take concerted efforts to develop the vital sectors.
Trade and Investment:
Traders in Uruzgan complain that there is no market for their products and traders are forced to bring them to Kandahar.
Haji Khan, a businessman in Uruzgan’s almond market told Pajhwok Afghan News they export fruit such as almond and apricot to Kandahar, which take weeks to be sold because the market is slow and congested.
Niaz Mohammad, a resident of Tarinkot says: “Various products do not have consumption within the province and vegetables and fresh fruits become useless or being sold at throw away prices because of unavailability of a market.”
Industry:
The womenfolk of the province are mainly associated with manufacturing of handcrafts such as Kandahari shirt plackets, bracelets, carpets and blankets etc.
Handcraft manufactures are of the opinion that the government totally ignored them adding, that they have no market for their product despite the fact that the business is the sole source of income for many families.
They demand of the government to help them establish markets for their products, which will help boom the business.