BALKH, Afghanistan — Farmers in the Dehdadi district of Balkh province are raising alarms over a significant decline in their peach harvests, attributing the drop to a lack of necessary resources and disease among their trees.
The farmers blame the scarcity of chemical fertilizers, insufficient water, and a lack of protective medicines for the decrease in their yields.
“This year, the peaches are very small. They hardly grow at all. The overall harvest has dropped significantly compared to previous years,” said Nematullah, a farmer in the district.
Another gardener, Nomanullah, emphasized the critical water shortage. “When the peach trees needed water, there was none. We can’t use fertilizers because the peaches will die,” he said.
The water shortage in Dehdadi has forced many farmers to abandon the cultivation of key crops such as rice and chickpeas.
“Now is the season for planting peas and other crops, but without water, the quality suffers,” said Abdullah, a local farmer.
Some farmers are appealing for help from international agricultural organizations and local authorities.
“We ask the Islamic Emirate [Taliban] and international organizations to help the farmers so we can stand on our own feet,” said Abdul Rashid, another farmer.
Farmers in the district continue to struggle with drought and a lack of market opportunities at the domestic level, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.
