Rejecting opium poppy to grow safflower, Afghan farmers make a net profit of three million a year
When many people think of Afghanistan, the words "war" and "ruins" come to mind. From Alexander the Great, to the Mongol Empire, to countless battles later, every time. If you want to say that the most unpopular tourist country in the world, Afghanistan is definitely the largest in the world.
In recent years, Afghanistan has not only been known for its wars, but also for its opium cultivation, which has attracted the attention of drug traffickers around the world. Since 2007, Afghanistan** has vigorously eradicated opium cultivation, destroying large areas of agricultural land in several regions. In order to keep Afghan farmers from eating opium, many countries and relief agencies inspected the Afghan land and surrounding environment, and finally introduced Iranian saffron seeds to Afghanistan for large-scale cultivation.
When it was first introduced, Afghans were not interested in saffron, because it was carefully selected during the sowing and harvesting process, during which it was impossible to use any machinery. Many Afghan villages refuse to allow them to grow saffron even on the land and seeds given to them by the state.
As the saying goes, whoever tastes the sweetness first is the biggest winner. The same applies to farmers in Afghanistan. At first, Lahadja made a living by growing vegetables, because his salary was okay and his life was okay, so he was not included in the scope of state funding. However, most people were reluctant to plant crocus, which gave hope to Lahadja, who received large tracts of arable land and seeds from **.
From sowing to harvesting, more than 200 workers were employed, most of whom were vagrants and women. The move was recognized by the local authorities, and Lahad Deja received a lot of financial and technical support, and even an international rescue agency introduced advanced technology to the saffron cultivation base.
The crocus is ripe between October and November of the year, and many people come to visit the farms in Lahadja before they start harvesting in large quantities. Most Afghans have never seen this "as expensive" passion flower, so the local authorities decided to promote it to the tourism industry in the future.
Because of this year's increase in production, the planting area of Lahad Jadja saffron will reach 30 kilograms, according to the current world low**, it can earn 440,000 US dollars a year, plus other expenses, the net profit will exceed 3 million.
Afghanistan's economy is still very backward, with an average GDP of less than a hundred dollars, but because it is located on the Silk Road, it has attracted the attention of many countries. As long as the development continues, the economy of this country will develop rapidly, and the unique customs and customs will also make many people come here.