Herat, Afghanistan — Many herdsmen in Herat are voicing frustration over the lack of a suitable market for their livestock products.
They argue that their business would flourish if their products could be exported to other countries and if imports of similar products were curtailed.
Ghulam Sakhi, a herdsman, said he invested $200,000 in a livestock farm in Herat. He believes that reducing the import of dairy products from other countries would significantly increase the income for him and other herdsmen. “When milk is brought to the market, it should be beneficial for us too. We should be able to feed our cows,” Sakhi said.
Other herdsmen in Herat echoed this sentiment, stating that their milk production has increased and there is a need for export opportunities.
Baryalai, another herdsman, said, “I have 46 cows, 16 of which are dairy cows. We produce 2,000 kilograms of milk daily, which we export to Nimroz Province.”
Officials from the Taliban’s Agriculture and Livestock Department in Herat have noted the growth of the livestock industry in the province, stating that they export a significant amount of milk to other provinces daily.
Fereydoun Khan, head of the livestock section at the Taliban’s Agriculture Department in Herat, said, “Some of Herat’s dairy products go to urban dairy shops, some to Herat’s industrial companies, and daily, we send between 20,000 to 30,000 kilograms of milk to Nimroz, Kandahar, and Kabul.”
Herdsmen’s concerns about the market for their products come at a time when many had established their livestock farms before the Taliban’s return to power and are now worried about the future of their investments.
