General Information
Afghanistan has a total land area of 65 209 100 ha. The dominant climate is subtropical semiarid. Rice is the third important food crop of the population, after wheat and maize. In 1996, the per capita consumption of milled rice was 19.1 kg/year. In 1995, the per capita GDP was US$ 2 848.
Basic Statistics
|
|
1985 |
1990 |
1995 |
2000 |
|
RICE |
|
|
|
|
|
Harvested area (T ha) |
141 |
175 |
170 |
NA |
|
Yield (kg/ha) |
2248 |
1902 |
1764 |
1790 |
|
Production (T t) |
317 |
333 |
300 |
232 |
|
OTHERS |
|
|
|
|
|
Population (M) |
14.51 |
14.75 |
19.66 |
NA |
|
Agr population (M) |
10.37 |
10.37 |
13.50 |
NA |
|
Irrigated agr area (T ha) |
2586 |
2500 |
2386 |
NA |
|
Fertilizer cons (T t) |
72.96 |
44.5 |
0 |
NA |
|
Agr tractors in use (unit) |
820 |
850 |
840 |
NA |
Producing Zones and Cropping Seasons
Rice is an important crop in Nangarhar, Laghman, Herat, Kunduz, Baghlan, Balkh, Wardak and Kapisa in particular, but it is also grown in other provinces. Rice is grown mainly during the period from April/May to October/November due to low temperatures.
Production Practices
Rice is planted mostly under irrigated conditions. Most of the seeds used in Afghanistan are of local origin, low yielding and susceptible to diseases. The local population in Herat prefers local varieties, where rice crops are generally grown on the best-irrigated plots. Only a few improved rice varieties have been reported to be available in the country: Afghan-98, Baghlan-98, Basmati 385, JP 5 and Swat 2.
In the East rice is grown immediately after wheat as a transplanted crop. In Herat, it is either transplanted or broadcasted at very high seed rates. Transplanted rice is also an important crop in Baghlan and in the Jalalabad area during the second season. Farmers in the Herat province usually apply fertilizers to rice, while in other provinces the number of farmers who apply fertilizers to rice is low. In 1987/88, the most common fertilizers in use were urea and Diammonium Phosphate. The following table shows rice responses to fertilizer application.
|
Other information |
Test range (kg/ha) |
Control rate (kg/ha) |
Control yield (t/ha) |
Rate at Maximum yield (kg/ha) |
Maximum yield (t/ha) |
|
Nitrogen (N) |
|||||
|
Reported in 1996-98, average of 4 trials over 2 years at 2 locations with 57 kg P2O5/ha |
0-138 |
0 |
5.3 |
69 |
7.1 |
|
Reported in 1996-98, average of 4 trials over 2 years at 2 locations with 115 kg P2O5/ha |
0-138 |
0 |
5.6 |
138 |
7.3 |
|
Phosphorus (P2O5) |
|||||
|
Reported in 1996-98, average of 4 trials over 2 years at 2 locations with 69 kg N/ha |
0-115 |
0 |
6.8 |
57 |
7.1 |
|
Reported in 1996-98, average of 4 trials over 2 years at 2 locations with 138 kg N/ha |
0-115 |
0 |
7.1 |
115 |
7.3 |
Constraints and Issues of Sustainable Production
Blast and stripe rust are important diseases, while grasshoppers were reported to be a problem in the rice fields. Low temperatures at high elevation negatively affect rice growth and development during the reproductive phases. Canal irrigation, fed by streams and rivers, is by far the most important irrigation method, but water distribution has deteriorated during the recent past. Planted areas have been reduced due to fighting and lack of labour. In 1996, the cost of rice production in Eastern region was about US $ 490/ha with a yield of 3.5 t/ha or US$ 150/t of paddy.
Research and Development Institutes
Agricultural Research Institute of Afghanistan, Ministry of Agriculture, Kabul, Afghanistan
