Wheat production in Afghanistan increased by 13% compared to last year

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock of the Taliban has announced that wheat production in Afghanistan has increased by 13% compared to last year, with around 4.9 million metric tons of wheat expected to be harvested nationwide.

On Thursday, June 13, the ministry published statistics showing that 6% more land was cultivated with wheat this year compared to the previous year.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation emphasized that due to this year’s rainfall, wheat production in the country has seen a significant increase compared to the past two years.

The ministry’s statement also mentioned that devastating floods in several provinces have destroyed cultivated areas and wiped out wheat crops.

Moreover, the ministry has warned that despite the current wheat production, the country will face a shortfall of around 2 million metric tons of wheat in 2024.

According to the ministry, approximately 2.14 million hectares were projected to be under wheat cultivation in 2024, from which around 4.9 million metric tons of wheat are expected to be harvested nationwide.

This comes amid reports that drought and devastating floods in recent years have led to the destruction of thousands of hectares of agricultural land in the country.

On the other hand, according to the UN report, over 23 million people in Afghanistan are in need of aid this year due to the dire humanitarian crisis in the country.

However, providing this aid is not possible due to the shortage of funds and the lack of a transparent, responsive, and functioning government in Afghanistan.