The Taliban’s Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock in Badghis has announced that pistachio production in the province has declined by around 50 percent this year due to climate change and insect infestations.
Abdul Halim Halimzad, the department’s head of publications, said that climate change and the spread of harmful pests are among the main factors contributing to the decline in pistachio yields in Badghis.
According to him, pistachios are one of the most important sources of income for the people of the province, and the reduction in production will cause significant financial losses for farmers and traders.
The natural pistachio forests of Badghis are among Afghanistan’s most important areas for the growth of this valuable crop, and the livelihoods of thousands of families depend on them.
Last year, several exporters also warned that premature harvesting of pistachios before the nuts fully mature was threatening the sustainability of the province’s natural pistachio forests. They cautioned that if the practice continued, production levels could decline further in the coming years.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
