Policy Issues and Recommendations for the Cotton Subsector in Afghanistan. A RAMP Agricultural Policy Briefing Paper

摘要

Cotton production in Afghanistan reached 350,000 mt on 188,700 hectares in 1983. In 2003, it is estimated that 30,000 mt of cotton was produced on 46,960 hectares. In the 1970sand 1980s, lint cotton was used by local textile mills and also exported in quantities that significantly contributed to foreign exchange earnings in Afghanistan. Only a meager quantity of lint cotton was or is expected to be exported in 2003. By decree, the Government has had, from a legal standpoint, a monopsonistic and a monopolistic role in purchasing, processing, and marketing cotton over the past 60 years. Today, the government owns cotton gins in Kunduz, Helmand, Mazar, and Herat. Only the gins in Helmand (historical capacity over 32,000 mt of seed cotton), Kunduz (historical capacity >100,000 mt), and Mazar (current operating capacity of 12,000 mt) are operating, albeit at very low levels of production (5000 mt, 500 mt, and 370 mt of seed cotton processed in 2002, respectively).