Increase of heng production brings new hope for farmers

KABUL (TOLOnews): The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said that in the past 6 months, $70 million dollars worth of heng has been exported. Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, the spokesman of the ministry, told TOLOnews that India, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates and the United States are among the countries that have purchased the Afghan product. The spokesman of the ministry said: “In the first 6 months of 1402 (solar year), Afghanistan has exported 70 million US dollars worth of heng and its seeds to India, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Khan Jan Alokozay, a member of the ACCI’s Board of Directors, said: “The Chamber of Commerce and Investment has solved the problems of the traders of heng and other sectors and has also talked to India. The heng is regularly exported from Wagah, Pakistan as well as by air.” Some businessmen said that in recent years, the cultivation and trade of heng plants has increased in various parts of the country. “One kilo of Tajik seed seedlings of the heng plant is bought and sold in the market for up to 15 afghani, and it grows within three years. One kilo of heng sap has become cheaper than it was before, it is sold for up to 10,000 afghani,” said Khairudddin, a trader. “Heng is a very good source of income for farmers, traders and the government. Our request to the government is to cooperate with private companies for the growth and development of heng cultivation and trade so that heng cultivation expands further,” said Zabihullah Parsa, a trader. The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) also emphasized that the cultivation of heng plants has expanded significantly in the country compared to recent years. Mesbahuddin Mostaeen, spokesperson for MAIL, said: “The efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture are to cooperate with those farmers who do not have the ability to invest in the cultivation of the heng plant, and to cooperate with them to find seedlings of this plant.” Heng is one of the plants that is mostly used in the pharmaceutical and food industry. Based on the information of the MAIL, the cultivation of Tajik and Uzbek white heng, including the Kazakh red heng, has been expanded by farmers in various parts of the country, especially in the northern part of Afghanistan.