Drying and Processing Grapes in Afghanistan

¹ C.S.I.R.O., Division of Horticultural Research, Merbein, Victoria, Australia. Research was done while the author was an FAO Consultant in handling grapes and raisins with the Program on Agricultural Credit and Co-operatives in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan produces annually 200,000 t of grapes, of which 60,000 t are used fresh and the rest dried. Raisins are produced without pre-drying treatment. Soyagi dried grapes are a specialty of Afghanistan and they are produced by drying in special houses, while other types are sun-dried. A pre-drying treatment of grapes could increase the drying rate of both the Soyagi and sun-dried raisins. Processing of raisins has been improved with new California machinery.