Turkish Plum Tree

Written by: Mir Aqa Itebar

Approximately 19 species of plums have been identified in Afghanistan. Each of them has its quality and market, and in some areas, a number of gardeners still grow local plum trees.

According to agricultural experts, local plums are more vulnerable to agricultural diseases than modified plums, and on the other hand, local plums do not have a good market.

 How do gardeners can solve this issue?

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some gardeners and an agricultural expert about this issue.

A gardener, Dost aMuhammad says, “I have one (Jarib) acre fruits garden. I have cultivated local plum trees but these trees do not yield as I wish”.

Another gardener, Farhad says, “I have about 100 trees of local plum. They do not resist against aphids and every year one or two trees of them are dying.”

Muhammad Nazir Nawabi, an agricultural expert says, “Local plum trees are not resistant to diseases and pests compared to other plums, and any kind of diseases can affect these trees die in a short time.

The result from local trees is not acceptable for gardeners and customers and the gardeners have to replace them with other fruit trees.”

What do some gardeners think about the causes of getting fewer fruits from local plum trees?

Farhad, a gardener from Kabul province, says, “I think as at the beginning, there were no modified seedlings, the gardeners were happy with local plum trees and after introducing new types of plums in the country, they do not like local plums trees anymore.”

Dost Muhammad says, “I think the climate of Afghanistan is not suitable for growing local plum trees but gardeners still grow them.”

Muhammad Nazir Nawabi says, “Local seedlings of plum trees are not modified in Afghanistan and they yield fewer fruits than other plum trees and they are more susceptible to various diseases than other modified plum trees.”

How do some gardeners solve this problem?

A gardener, Abdul Latif Arabyar says, “We planted 400 Turkish plum trees in two acres of land. These trees have a good yield and also have a good market. In the beginning, we make 50 cm holes in the ground and then we mix animals manure with soil and pour them inside the hole and then we plant the seeds of Turkish plum. After two years, we transfer saplings to the garden. This kind of plum tree produces more fruits and has a good market too.”

Nawabi says, “Planting Turkish seedlings is like other trees, but in the first step gardeners should be aware of the climate and soil of the region and take the seedlings from those who are reliable and deal with them.

In the second step, the seedlings should be planted at least 4 meters apart from each other in the garden, and the hole should be 80 by 60 cm, and the topsoil should be poured to one side, and the soil of the lower surface should be kept to the other side, and then the mixture of the animal manure with the amount of soil taken from the ground, should be poured into the hole and then place the seedlings in a hole.”