Thousands of Tangor and Kinnow saplings would be planted next years in southern Helmand province as the preliminary tests of the trees produced positive results, an official said on Wednesday.

AVA- Agriculture Director Zalmai Aloko told media scientific examinations showed the fruit produced positive result in the Helmand.
He said thousands of Tangor and Kinnow fruits had been planted in the Bolan Experimental Farm which would be distributed to farmers in the spring.
“Tangor and Kinnow could be a good alternative to poppy because it consumed little water and produce huge yield,” he said.
In addition, he said besides date orchards, plans had been made for development of cumin farms.
Najibullah, a farmer from the Nad Ali district, said he had transplanted Kinnow and Tangor trees last year and produced positive yield.
He added his father advised him not to grow poppy so I decided to plant Kinnow and Tangor sapling in my orchard.
Najibullah said: “I planted apple trees which produce fruit in summer when fruits from Pakistan and Iran are being imported and local fruits are still in trees.”
He asked the government to pay more attention to the local fruit production.