Uphill struggle for potato farmers in Afghanistan's Bamyan Province

Farmers in Afghanistan’s top potato-producing province are complaining about declining profits, mainly because of cold weather, lack of storage facilities and bad roads.

Potato cultivation in Bamyan Province, central Afghanistan, employs thousands of people and output can top 150,000 tons a year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock.

“Bamyan potatoes are excellent quality and the province has strong potential to produce a lot more,” Abdul Wahab Mohammadi, an official of the provincial agriculture department, told IRIN.

But whilst the province produces more potatoes than it needs, over 70 percent of the people in Bamyan are considered food insecure, according to the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and aid agencies.

Farmers and officials in the provincial agriculture department say every year thousands of tons of potatoes are lost due to a lack of facilities where potatoes and seeds can be protected from extreme weather conditions.