KULOB, Juy 20 2009, Asia-Plus — Khatlon province currently exports some 4,000 tons of fruits and vegetables per day, which is the highest index over the past fifteen years, Khatlon governor Ghaybullo Avzal said in an interview with Asia-Plus on July 19.
“In the previous years, the province had been exporting not more than several tons of fruits and vegetables, while since the beginning of this year, we have exported more than 10,000 tons of fruits and vegetables to the Russian Federation alone and export deliveries are continuing to increase,” said Avzal, “We have even used aircraft for delivering fruits to Moscow.”
According to him, they have already established cooperation with Kazakh entrepreneurs and more than 1,000 tons of fruits and vegetables have been delivered to Kazakhstan to this date.
Avzal added that they were establishing close cooperation with Afghan entrepreneurs as well. “Businessmen from the neighboring country now not only purchase harvests of Khatlon farmers, they also actively participate in formation of harvests, funding some 50 percent of future harvests and supplying seeds and fertilizers as well as paying wages to farmers,” the governor noted.
“Our two river crossings – Nizny Panj and Farkhor-Kokul – are now full-load and more than 3,000 tons of fruits and vegetables as well as watermelons, melons and gourds have been transported via them to Afghanistan so far,” Avzal said.
