MNN (Web-Desk); Authorities at Torkham have stopped a major consignment of Pakistani lemons after inspections revealed the fruit was contaminated with Citrus Canker, a bacterial disease that damages citrus crops and renders produce unfit for consumption.
The 15-ton shipment was intercepted by Nangarhar’s Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Directorate with assistance from a local company, reported Ariana News,
Authorities at Torkham have stopped a major consignment of Pakistani lemons after inspections revealed the fruit was contaminated with Citrus Canker, a bacterial disease that damages citrus crops and renders produce unfit for consumption.
Nangarhar Agriculture Director Mohammad Wali Mohsen said the diseased lemons were rejected to protect local orchards, urging traders to only import high-quality and healthy produce in line with the principles of the Islamic Emirate. He stressed that such inspections are vital to safeguarding Afghanistan’s agriculture from cross-border pest and disease threats.
The Torkham border crossing is one of the busiest fruit and vegetable entry points from Pakistan, and officials have recently tightened quarantine checks following repeated detections of plant diseases in imported produce.
