As water resources continue to decline in Afghanistan, some farmers in Farah province say saffron farming can provide them with a source of income because the crop requires less water. They emphasize that their main needs are creating opportunities for saffron cultivation and improving access to the domestic market for the product.
Saffron is currently cultivated in the provincial capital of Farah and Bala Buluk district. Shurabad village is also one of the areas where farmers have turned to cultivating this crop.
Haji Jomhor, a saffron farmer from Shurabad village who has been working in this field for about 13 to 14 years, says he harvested about one to one and a half kilograms of saffron from one jerib of land last year.
“We have planted saffron on about one jerib of land, and last year we harvested about one to one and a half kilograms of saffron from it. We mostly sell our saffron in Herat because there are not enough customers and there is no good market for it in Farah,” he says.
He says that after paying the costs of farming, only a small amount of income remains. According to him, in case more fertilizer is used, the yield could increase.
He also considers saffron farming less costly than many other crops. However, he adds that the crop needs irrigation from October to April.
“Saffron is a good and halal crop and can provide people with an income. If more support is provided to saffron farmers and a suitable market is created for the product, people can earn a better income from it,” he adds.
The lack of a suitable market is not the only problem faced by saffron farmers. A number of farmers say the high cost of fertilizer and other agricultural materials, a shortage of facilities and equipment, and a lack of suitable machines for processing saffron are among their main challenges.
Mohammad Naeem, who has been working in agriculture and saffron farming for about four years, says he started with very limited facilities but was able to increase the level of his saffron cultivation through interest and hard work.
“At first, I did not have many facilities, but I continued working with interest and effort. I was able to make progress in this field and increase the level of my saffron cultivation. Saffron farming has had a positive impact on my life, and now an important part of my income is earned in this way,” he says.
He says that, in addition to water shortages and the high cost of fertilizer, the lack of proper equipment and suitable machines for harvesting and processing saffron is also a serious problem for farmers.
“A sack of fertilizer is expensive in the market, and it is difficult for us to always afford it. The lack of suitable machines is also a serious problem. Currently, saffron flowers are picked and cleaned by hand, and they are dried using traditional methods, which affects the quality of the product,” he adds.
According to him, some farmers’ lack of familiarity with the proper methods of cultivating and caring for saffron has resulted in crops that do not have the desired quality and yield.
Jawid, another saffron farmer from Darabad village in Farah, also says that training provided by organizations has helped them learn the proper methods of cultivating, irrigating, harvesting, and storing saffron.
He says they initially were not familiar enough with proper cultivation and irrigation methods, but they have gained more experience over time through training.
He also complains about the lack of standardized equipment for collecting and processing saffron flowers and the weak saffron market in Farah.
“Organizations provided us with training in this field, through which we learned how saffron is cultivated and irrigated, and how its flowers are picked, collected, and stored. One of our main problems is the lack of facilities and standardized equipment and tools for collecting and processing saffron flowers. The saffron market in Farah is also not very active, so we have to take our products to Herat to sell them,” he adds.
On the other hand, a number of workers are also involved in different parts of saffron farming, including irrigation. Parwiz, a 40-year-old from Farah, has been working in saffron irrigation for about three years.
He says the income from this work is relatively good, but it is mostly seasonal, leaving them with few job opportunities for much of the year.
“I turned to this work because saffron farming provides a relatively good income and has been economically beneficial for us. Now, I earn a satisfactory income from this work and consider it a suitable job for myself,” he says.
He calls for more support from the government and the Department of Agriculture for those who work in this sector.
“One of our main problems is that we have not received enough support from the government and relevant institutions. We also face financial difficulties. We hope that the Department of Agriculture and the government will provide more support to saffron farmers and people working in this sector. We are not always occupied throughout the year. We only have work during the specific season when saffron is cultivated and harvested, and during the remaining months, we do not have many job opportunities,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Turyalai Noori, spokesperson for the Farah Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, says saffron is cultivated in the provincial capital and Bala Buluk district. However, the largest area under cultivation, with desirable results, is in the provincial capital of Farah.
He adds that a total of 26.4 hectares of land in the province is under saffron cultivation, from which 105.6 kilograms of saffron are harvested.
“In total, about 26.4 hectares of land in Farah is under saffron cultivation, and about 105.6 kilograms of saffron have been harvested from this area. The price of saffron varies in the market. Recently, each kilogram of saffron has been sold for about 95,000 Afghanis, while in some cases, the price has reached 100,000 and even 110,000 Afghanis,” he says.
In recent years, several organizations have also implemented programs to support saffron farmers and promote the crop in Farah, from distributing saffron bulbs and necessary equipment to providing training on cultivation and storage methods.
According to the spokesperson for the Farah Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, the CC organization distributed 50 packages of saffron bulbs and necessary equipment to local farmers, while the DRC organization has also provided training on saffron cultivation and storage.
“The CC organization distributed 50 packages of saffron bulbs and the necessary equipment to local people. The DRC organization has also had programs in this field and provided farmers with training on saffron cultivation, care, and storage,” he adds.
Officials at the Farah Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock say they are making efforts to further promote saffron farming in the province because the crop requires less water than many other crops and can provide farmers with a good income.
Saffron farmers say that addressing their technical and financial needs would help increase the level of saffron cultivation and create more job opportunities for workers.
Reporter: Khatemah Farzam Ayoobi
