In the plains of Ghazni East Afghanistan, thousands of tons of apples and grapes annually pick up, but only a little of them reaches international markets with appropriate quality, and this is mainly attributed to the absence of cooling warehouses. In a country in which more than 80% of the population of rural areas depends on agriculture as a source of livelihood, this deficiency is more than just a logistical defect, as it is a major economic obstacle that destroys precious export opportunities and increases the country’s dependence on its neighbors.
The agricultural sector is considered one of the main pillars of the Afghan economy, as it constitutes about 25% of the gross domestic product, provides job opportunities for about 40% of the population, and it depends on it more than 4 fifths of the countryside to secure their day’s food, according to international reports.
Despite this importance, the sector faces great challenges, the most prominent of which is poor investment and the absence of modern technologies, especially cooling chains. The fragile political and security conditions are aggravated by the difficulty of developing this vital sector.
The reality of agriculture under the Taliban government
Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, the agricultural sector has witnessed a remarkable decline in government support, as well as the shrinking of foreign investments.
Farmers indicate the increasing difficulties in obtaining agricultural supplies and reaching the basic infrastructure, especially cooling warehouses. Although agriculture continues to contribute by more than 30% in the GDP, the lack of storage networks leads to a large waste of crops and the decline in export opportunities.
The cooling warehouses are an urgent necessity to reduce losses under these circumstances, as a large part of agricultural crops, especially fruits and vegetables, are lost before they reach the markets.
Apples and grapes are a prominent example of this, as the quantities produced to Pakistan are sent, where they are stored and treated and then re -exported under the name of Pakistan.
Economic reports indicate that Afghanistan loses export benefits that could have strengthened its fragile economy. “The products we produce now are not normative and no country accepts them, but if we can address and clean them properly, it will be possible to export them to European countries,” one of the merchants in the state of Ghazni told Al -Jazeera Net.
Additional challenges face farmers in Afghanistan, as the challenges are not limited to storage only, as farmers also face transportation difficulties as a result of poor roads, in addition to high customs duties that weaken the competitiveness of Afghan products.
The agricultural sector lacks agricultural counseling and technical support services, which negatively affects the efficiency of farmers and increases their losses. Despite these obstacles, the Afghan government is making efforts to improve the situation, taking advantage of the support provided by countries such as China that contribute to cooling warehouse projects.
Ghazni Province .. Agriculture is under challenges
The state of Ghazni is one of the most prominent agricultural areas in the country, and it produces a variety of crops such as apples, grapes and apricots, in addition to wheat and barley, but the absence of cooling warehouses in them makes exporting these crops abroad very difficult.
Farmers in Ghazni note that their products are transferred to Pakistan to be stored and exported from there, which leads to depriving Afghanistan of the revenues of its export.
For his part, this is explained by Saeed Allah Under – a local farmer in the Andnder district – by saying: “We are planting apples, grapes and apricots, but because of the shortage of warehouses, a large part of the crops will be destroyed before we can export them.
In response to these challenges, the local government in Ghazni launched projects aimed at creating modern cooling warehouses.
Mohamed Zakaria Hotel, a spokesman for the Agriculture and Irrigation Directorate, explained that these initiatives seek to improve the quality of agricultural products by storing them according to professional standards, which contributes to reducing losses and enhancing export opportunities.
China’s role in building cooling warehouses
In the context of supporting agricultural infrastructure, China plays a pivotal role by contributing to building standard cooling warehouses.
These projects include the establishment of 3 warehouses in the states of Kabul, Takhara, and Badakhshan, with a total capacity of 1500 tons. An additional warehouse has also been completed with a capacity of 500 tons in the state of Midan and Wardak.
These steps are part of a Chinese aid package aimed at reducing waste and enhancing the export capabilities of Afghan agricultural products.
Government efforts
The efforts of the Afghan government continue to develop cooling warehouses in this field in parallel with international initiatives. Mesbah Al -Din, with the help of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Animal Care, stressed that building these warehouses will contribute to preserving fruits and vegetables for longer periods, which reduces losses and enhances the competitiveness of agricultural products in regional and global markets.
Cooling is not a luxury in a country facing complex crises, cooling warehouses may seem simple, but in reality it is one of the main keys to improving the agricultural economy. Without them, crops will remain vulnerable to damage, and farmers are unable to reach foreign markets.
Therefore, investing in storage infrastructure, as well as providing technical and financial support, is a vital necessity to convert Afghan agriculture into a productive and competitive sector. The question remains: Does the government and its international partners have a comprehensive vision that enables to save this pivotal sector?
