KABUL: Afghanistan’s highest concentration of pistachio forests, warn that armed gangs and Taleban fighters have taken over the precious natural resource and now make millions of dollars from selling the nuts.
The province’s pistachio forests had long been considered a resource that all could draw on, as long as locals harvested the crop at the proper time and handed a portion over to the government.
They once spread across 95,000 hectares in Baghdis but have dwindled to around 30,000 hectares over the past four decades.
Locals confirm that the beautiful mountain ranges, lush with tulips in the springtime when they are a traditional holiday destination, have become a safe haven for insurgents.
“Last year, when our relatives went to harvest pistachios during the season, they were confronted by insurgents who fired at their feet and did not allow them to harvest,” civil society activist Abdul Raziq Siddiqi said.
Badghis pistachio, prized for its excellent flavour, is mainly bought by traders from the western Afghan province of Herat and exported to countries such as India and Iran, or even further afield to Europe.
The crop is generally ready to be harvested in June and July, and even a decade ago, locals adhered to a practice whereby a local commission would announce when the nuts were ripe. Now, local officials say that pistachio is gathered prematurely, which impacts on the sustainability of the harvest.
