JALALABAD (SW): The olive yield in eastern Nangarhar province has improved significantly from the estimated 500 tons to 1200 tons.
Ghulam Hazrat Abdul Rahimzay, head of the canal directorate in Nangarhar, told Salam Watandar that the farmers have taken good care of the olive trees which combined with other measures have led to this improvement. He informed the directorate has collected the yield in two separate phases, once for producing olive pickles and second time after a gap of few months for olive oil.
At the moment, he said process of producing olive oil is underway. Abdul Rahimzay recalled that the olive trees here were once producing more than 3000 tons of yield before the civil war and Soviet invasion, and during the wars the vast area covered with olive trees turned in bushes. He acknowledged that the current government has paid attention towards olive trees, and improved investment has led to better yield over the years.
He, however, regretted that lack of skilled farmers remains a concern as there are only around 150 workers in the four farms here while as there should have been at least 1000 working here. The head of the canal directorate also raised serious concerns over land-grabbing here, saying up to 4500 jeribs of olive farms’ land has been encroached upon.
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