Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The first shipment of potatoes grown in Afghanistan's Bamyan province using seeds of the Uzbek Fontane variety has arrived in Uzbekistan, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan said.
The project to grow potatoes in Afghanistan for subsequent delivery to the Uzbek market was launched in May 2026 at Uzbekistan's initiative. The crops were planted across 17 hectares in the Shahidan and Faladi districts and the central part of Bamyan province.
The Fontane variety was selected for the project. The Chamber said it offered high yields, was easy to cultivate and was suitable for export.
Uzbek specialists worked with Afghan farmers to plant the seed potatoes, maintain the crops and harvest them. Specialists from Uzbekistan also regularly monitored the condition of the fields.
Yields reached 40–45 tonnes per hectare. The Chamber also highlighted the quality of the planting material and Bamyan's favourable natural and climatic conditions for potato cultivation.
After harvesting, the potatoes were sorted, packaged and shipped to Uzbekistan.
In May, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Davron Vakhabov discussed the project with Bamyan Governor Qari Gul Haidar Shafaq. Uzbekistan proposed supplying Afghan farmers with potato seeds in exchange for guaranteed purchases of part of their harvest.
At the time, annual production was expected to reach at least 50,000 tonnes, with a potential maximum of 300,000 tonnes.
In addition to the potato project, the sides discussed joint fruit cultivation, the construction of a fertiliser storage facility and training to improve the skills of Afghan farmers.
In July, a delegation from Tashkent held talks with representatives of Bamyan and Herat provinces. The sides discussed purchasing Afghan agricultural products to help stabilise prices in markets in the Uzbek capital.
They also considered plans to open trade houses.
