Little investment in poultry and livestock rearing has meant that millions of dollars worth of meat and dairy products are imported.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) has decided to make Afghanistan self-sufficient in both. The establishment of a big slaughter house and improved breeds of milch animals are the new programmes in the pipeline.
Lutfullah Rashed, the ministry’s spokesperson, says poultry farming has been growing. The government has invested in projects to rear chicken for eggs and meat in provinces like Nangarhar, Balkh, Farah and Herat.
Around the country there are some 7,900 private poultry farms. MAIL has assisted private individuals to set up 200 of the farms over the last two years. The ministry has also plans for hatcheries in the coming year.
Eggs are an important source of protein. Only 25 percent of the country’s needs are met by domestic poultry. The biggest of the farms are in Nangarhar. The rest of the demand for eggs is met by imports from neighbouring Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, China, and from India.
The domestic poultry industry has been clamouring for protection. Dr. Mohammad Sayeed Paiman, the owner of Zarinpar Faizi, where chickens are reared for the table, complains of lack of government cooperation and says taxes on imported meat and eggs should be raised to ensure there is no unfair competition. Ahmad Shah Haidari is another farm owner in Herat. According to him, all the chicken meat from his farm is consumed within the province. He says that poultry owners cannot take their meat products and eggs to neighbouring provinces due to insecurity. The province of Herat has 150-200 poultry farms that together have a capacity of 30-40 tonnes of chicken meat per day.
Fazel Mohammad Sayar, a deputy in a farm owners’ union in the eastern zone told Killid that 800 of the 3,100 farms in the three provinces of Nangarhar, Kunar and Laghman are not active because of security concerns.
Encourage locals
Serajudin Mehraban, head of agriculture presidency in Balkh told Killid that he blames meat and egg imports for the domestic industry’s inability to meet the demand. This was also the opinion of Shahwali Esmail Khil, head of Afghan Atal company.
Rashed, MAIL spokesperson, says the Ministry of Finance has raised the tax on egg and chicken imports by 20 percent over the last two months in order to encourage local investors.
There are some 20 units producing chicken feed. The biggest is located in Shiekhmesri in Nangarhar, and has the capacity to produce 10 tonnes of chicken feed every hour.
Meanwhile, the country’s meat needs, including veal, are met by imports. Figures maintained by the Central Statistics Organisation (CSO) show imports have been growing every year. Main exporters are Pakistan, India and United Arab Emirates (UAE). The country’s abattoirs have the capacity to slaughter 500 goats and sheep, and 100 oxen in one shift of eight hours.
Unfortunately smugglers have a field day taking away sheep, two-humped camels from Herat province to Iran and Pakistan, says Dr. Mrhrabudin Ahmadi, head of livestock department of agriculture presidency of Herat province. He went on to add that most livestock owners sell their quadrupeds because of drought and insecurity.
There are no estimates of fish imports. Officials say it is not big, there are both river and sea fish, but pisciculture is growing. The fish farm in Qargha lake has restarted in recent months, and fingerling fish worth roughly 3 million USD were imported from France and Australia.
Moreover, there are plans for fish farms in Kapisa and Herat in the coming year.
