Afghanistan’s Wheat Production Rises 13% to 5.15 Million Tonnes

DID Press: Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture has reported a 13% increase in wheat production this year, bringing the country’s total harvest to 5.15 million tonnes.

Despite the increase, drought, water shortages and limited access to improved seeds remain major obstacles to Afghanistan achieving self-sufficiency in wheat production.

The country continues to rely on imported flour to meet part of its domestic demand. According to the figures provided in the report, Afghanistan imported around 2 million tonnes of flour worth $550 million over the past nine months.

Drought and limited water resources, along with agricultural pests and farmers’ restricted access to improved seed varieties, remain among the main challenges facing the country’s wheat sector.

Improving water-resource management, expanding irrigation systems and providing farmers with better agricultural inputs could help boost domestic wheat production and reduce dependence on imports.