With the arrival of the watermelon and melon harvest season in Herat, a festival celebrating these fruits was held in the courtyard of the province's Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Department.

According to statistics from this department, this year’s watermelon and melon harvest in the province has increased by thirty percent compared to last year. However, the lack of markets and the low prices of these fruits are major concerns for farmers.

Pir Mohammad Halimi, the head of the Herat Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Department said: "We are trying to facilitate export opportunities because Afghan agricultural products are of high quality, and every country prefers to buy high-quality fruits."

Some farmers say that the low prices of their products and the failure to export them abroad have led to losses instead of profits.

Mohammad Rafiq Zori, a farmer, said: "Our request from the government is to help farmers and provide a way to market their products abroad and to pay attention to other necessary tools we need."

Basir Ahmad Azimi, another farmer, said: "Our products do not have a market. Our watermelon sells for 10 to 15 afghani per seer, while imported fruits sell for 30 to 40 Afghanis per seer."

During the watermelon and melon harvest season, these fruits flood the markets but do not get sold.

Local officials in Herat say they are working on exporting fresh fruits, including watermelons and melons.

Bashir Ahmad Bahaduri, an official from the Herat Agriculture and Livestock Chamber, said: "Soon, export traders and three members of the Agriculture and Livestock Chamber will travel to Kazakhstan to market grapes that are ahead of us, as well as other fresh fruits such as figs, melons, and watermelons."

Abdul Ahad Rahmani, the head of the Herat Fruit Sellers' Union, said: "The farmer is right; the costs are high, supply is high, and demand is low. The western market cannot absorb a thousand tons of melons."

In addition to Herat’s watermelons and melons, about one thousand and two hundred tons of these fruits are transferred daily from neighboring provinces, especially Farah, for sale in this province.

However, a large portion of these fruits do not sell, and according to farmers, due to the lack of a market, watermelons and melons remain unsold, leading to financial losses.