Dalwa 8: January 27, 2021

Herat Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock said that the province's greenhouse production has increased by ten percent this year to 55,000 metric tons.

The directorate said that these products reached 49,500 metric tons last year, and it has increased by ten percent this year.

Bashir Ahmad Ahmadi, Herat's director of agriculture, said that in recent years, the production of greenhouse vegetables in the province has grown dramatically and more attention of farmers has been attracted by it.

Mr. Ahmadi said, “There are currently more than 2,500 large, medium and small greenhouses in Herat province, about 20 to 30 percent of the products, especially vegetables, come from the greenhouses built in the province.”

He added that in Herat province, between 4,000 and 5,000 farmers are engaged in greenhouse cultivation, of which 2,000 are women, most of these greenhouses grow cucumbers and tomato, which has been able to find a good market in Herat and neighboring provinces.

Injil, Guzara, Karakh and Zandijan are among the districts where greenhouse cultivation has been popularized.

The Director of provincial of agriculture said that several greenhouse owners' associations have been established in Herat to better coordinate and grow greenhouse management.

Meanwhile, some greenhouse owners said that growing vegetables in the greenhouse has provided a good opportunity for income and work.

Frishta , a resident of Injil district who has been growing vegetables in his greenhouse for the past four years, said, “In addition to growing the family economy this has given us access to fresh vegetables in all seasons."

Farhad is another greenhouse owner who has been cultivating greenhouses for the past two years. He says he is happy that he has started cultivating greenhouses and considers greenhouses a good source of income for families. He says greenhouse vegetables that they grow themselves are fresher and better than the vegetables they sell.

Meanwhile, the Herat agriculture department has expressed satisfaction with farmers 'turn to cultivate greenhouses, saying that the construction of these greenhouses has created jobs for rural residents and has had positive consequences for the growth of the families' economy.