Saffron Suits Helmand's Climate, Grows Well

[یاسمینه]

Trials over the past year to grow saffron in Helmand province have proved successful with the province's climate suiting the plant well, the provincial director of the Department of Agriculture, Obaidullah Ahmadzai, said.
The scheme also included some training for more than 400 farmers interested in learning how to grow saffron, he added.
One kilogramme of saffron costs about $3,000 in Afghanistan, $6,000 in the region as much as $8,000 on international markets. Growing saffron may potentially be very lucrative for Afghan farmers.
Afghan local officials said that the farmers have agreed to grow saffron if they can find markets in which to sell their produce.
Helmand is the largest producer of poppy in Afghanistan and government and international officials are striving to convince farmers to switch to growing other crops such a wheat, pomegranates and now saffron.
Saffron can be cultivated and harvested once a year in Afghanistan and needs to be watered 4 times before being harvested.
Saffron cultivation was started six years ago in western Herat province. It is now grown in 20 provinces.

http://www.tolonews.com/en/business/...ate-grows-well-

[Amir al Ghaznavi]

uh oh iran wont be too happy about this

[abassinafghan]

they are already not happy if we cut the waters of helmand sin ,trust me in 20 or 30 years we will fight over the water with those **** ****

[یاسمینه]

But Iran for years has been violating the agreement. They expanded irrigation channels and thus consume more water from Helmand river than it was in the agreement. And of course they don't pay for exceeded limits (btw, the price of 1m3 water in intl water market =~ 1 USD).
Afghanistan has right to terminate this agreement but I think that Karzai or next government will not decide to break it. Especially if Hazaras will have more members in parliament or government.

Another dimension of this situation - water is so precious good and we all need it. It would be inhuman to cut someone off access to water. It's not only "war" between Afg - Iran governments. There are always innocent people in the background.
So I think Iran should pay for excessive use of water.

[Sher Malang]

MashaAllah, Helmand has a very good land for agriculture told by my grandfather who was director of Kajaki dam in 70s/80s.

[Khostai]

In Khost zafran can grow also really good. Hoopefully famers would cultivate that instead of drugs.