Last winter’s heavy snowfall has resulted in doubling Balkh farmers’ output from their melon and watermelon fields.
The farmers enjoyed much better water resources, generated from increased snowfall this last winter, for their fields. The cold winter also helped eradicate melon diseases and pests that have been around in certain provinces of Afghanistan since over a year.
A farmer said he earned 345,000 afs from 3.5 acres garden of melon and watermelon compared to 180,000 afs he earned from the same fields.
The farmers were also provided with medicines to spray on their fields, when fruits and vegetables had started flowering, according to Agriculture Director Katib Shams.
Another reason for the two-fold increase in the production was the cultivation of melon and watermelon on more land, the directed added. This year more than 300 acres were cultivated as opposed to last year’s 250 acres.
