KABUL: The National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) said in a statement on Monday that 159,000 tons of cotton have been harvested in the country in the outgoing solar year, which shows a 30 percent increase compared to the previous year.
The cotton has been cultivated in 15 provinces this year, said the statement adding satellite imagery and surveys reveal a 12% increase in the area cultivated with cotton compared to last year.
Helmand province has the largest area under cotton cultivation, with 50,000 hectares, while Kapisa has the smallest area, with 66 hectares.
The published statistics also show that last year, cotton and cottonseed worth $273 million were exported from the country.
It is noteworthy that cotton is considered one of the important export items of the country.