{"id":28820,"date":"2026-03-01T06:45:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T06:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/?p=28820"},"modified":"2026-03-01T06:48:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T06:48:54","slug":"greenhousing-in-herat-struggling-with-loans-and-storms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/2026\/03\/greenhousing-in-herat-struggling-with-loans-and-storms\/","title":{"rendered":"Greenhousing in Herat; struggling with loans and storms"},"content":{"rendered":"

A number of greenhouse farmers in Herat say that while greenhouse cultivation has provided opportunities to earn income and meet family needs, it has not brought economic stability for many, and they still face financial pressures, often relying on loans to run their businesses.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Naser, a greenhouse owner in the \u2018Shaidaei\u2019 area of Herat, explains that although greenhouse farming can be profitable, it hasn\u2019t created a steady income for many in the sector.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve had a greenhouse for three years, growing cucumbers and tomatoes. It has its profits, but also its losses. That\u2019s why I also work as a tailor,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Ali Reza, another greenhouse owner from \u2018Shaidaei\u2019, has been running his greenhouse for four years. He says that most of his expenses are covered by loans.
\n\u201cThere are many problems. We buy fertilizer and equipment on loan, and after the harvest, we try to pay it back. Making ends meet is still very difficult. If we received more support, we could expand, produce more, and earn more. But with limited support, it is not enough,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

Besides economic challenges, climate change is seriously affecting greenhouse farmers in this province, often making it impossible for them to continue working.<\/p>\n

Basir Ahmad Mohammadi, another greenhouse owner from \u2018Shaidaei\u2019, lost three of his greenhouses to severe storms this year. He had invested over 500,000 Afghanis and cannot afford to rebuild them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year in Shaidaei, the winds were very strong, and a storm destroyed our greenhouses. I didn\u2019t have the money to rebuild, so I had to sell them. I ran a greenhouse for six years, and now I\u2019m unemployed. I sell wood to pay for household expenses; I can\u2019t build a new greenhouse,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Despite these challenges, economic experts in Herat believe that greenhouse farming has helped reduce vegetable imports and increase local production.<\/p>\n

Mohammad Rafiq Shaheer, an economic expert, says that the expansion of greenhouse cultivation has allowed the local market to be supplied with domestic produce in many seasons.
\n\u201cGreenhouses have played a major role in replacing vegetable imports from Iran, Pakistan, and even China. The expansion of greenhouse cultivation in Herat has led to a decrease in imports from these countries. Although imports continue in some seasons, the government has supported greenhouse owners by imposing high tariffs,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

Agricultural experts, however, point to the lack of specialized knowledge and modern skills as major challenges for greenhouse owners.<\/p>\n

Mahmood Shah Haydarian, an agricultural expert in Herat, says, \u201cIn many regions, knowledge and skills are limited, and there is a strong need for updated greenhouse training, especially in disease and pest management. In terms of technology, new systems such as drip irrigation and temperature and humidity control are underused. Those working in this sector should be able to effectively use available tools, such as temperature and humidity measuring devices.\u201d<\/p>\n

Officials at the Herat Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock admit that their support capacity has decreased. Bashir Ahmad Ahmadi, an Extension Officer at the Department, says,<\/p>\n

\u201cThe budget we had in previous years is no longer available, and now we rely on the national budget. The Department of Agriculture does not have enough resources to provide fertilizers or equipment to greenhouse owners. However, the Herat Department of Agriculture is fully technical and professional, and we provide guidance and introduce new technologies to greenhouse owners whenever possible,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Greenhouse cultivation in Herat is more than just an economic activity. The sustainability of this sector depends on effective government support, specialized training, and access to new technologies. When properly supported, greenhouse farming can play a vital role in strengthening domestic production and ensuring food security.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThis year in Shaidaei, the winds were very strong, and a storm destroyed our greenhouses. I didn\u2019t have the money to rebuild, so I had to sell them. I ran a greenhouse for six years, and now I\u2019m unemployed. I sell wood to pay for household expenses; I can\u2019t build a new greenhouse,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":28822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[990,16,981,30],"tags":[180,1425,1587,1588],"class_list":["post-28820","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest","category-report","category-economy","category-environment","tag-herat","tag-loans","tag-greenhousing-in-herat","tag-storms"],"views":42,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28820","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28820"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28820\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28821,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28820\/revisions\/28821"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28820"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28820"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swn.af\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}