People visit a saffron exhibition in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Nov. 6, 2017. A national saffron conference was held in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday, aiming at creating jobs, particularly for the women, in this poverty-stricken country. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)
KABUL, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- A national saffron conference was held in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday, aiming at creating jobs, particularly for the women, in the poverty-stricken country.
"Fortunately, the country's suitable climate has provided a good bed to develop plantation and production of saffron," acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Nasir Ahmad Durrani told audience at the conference.
Durrani added that cultivation of saffron could be a good alternative to opium poppy cultivation as it has gained good markets at the national and international arenas.
Meanwhile, Hashem Aslami, advisor to the ministry, said that about 3,500 hectares of lands are now under saffron cultivation, with a production of eight tons this year.
Jia Dongdong, vice-president of Kabul based Chinese Band-e-Amir Saffron Limited Company, told Xinhua during the event that the aim of the firm's investment was to use new technology to produce saffron, create jobs, mostly for women and fight growing of opium poppy in Afghanistan.
"We came here last year to do investment about saffron, meanwhile we will introduce the Chinese new technology as there is good weather condition in Afghanistan, and to introduce high quality saffron as it had good market in China and it needed plenty women workers," said Jia.
The conference, which was the fifth to be held in the country, will wrap up on Wednesday.
