Brownsugarexporter.com - The New Baghlan Sugar Company
produced more than 570 tons of sugar during sugar beet cultivation season in
2013, while the production was only 254 tons of sugar in 2012 and 2011.
About
5,000 acres of land are used for growing sugar beet in Baghlan, and the factory
operates for one and a half month in the season of the crops.
Director
of the factory, Ghulam Sakhi told Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) that they
distributed sugar beets seeds along with two bags of fertilizers without any
cost to farmers to help boost sugar beet production in the province. He added
they bought one ton of sugar beet at 2,000 AFN from the farmers.
Meanwhile,
some farmers complained that their crops were being bought in small amounts by
the factory and some of the crops were being destroyed by plant diseases.
Azizullah
Imaq, Head of the Agricultural Department in Baghlan, confirmed that a worm
called Nematode was found in the fields in Baghlan that infected sugar beet
crops.
According
to PAN, the department has approached Germany’s specialists to eliminate the
worm and distribute improved sugar seeds to Baghlan farmers for better crops.
Set up in
1940, the New Baghlan Sugar Company was handed over to the Afghan government in
December 2012. The two German firms relinquished 38% of their joint share,
making the Afghan government the sole owner of the factory. (BD)