Officials for the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry has informed of increasing exports of the country’s pomegranate to foreign countries comparing to previous years. They say exporting process of the respective fruit to foreign countries has now been completed. According to ACCI officials, over 8,000 tons of pomegranate worth $48 million have been exported to foreign countries during the current solar year.
“Exports of pomegranate to foreign countries have been good comparing to last year as we have exported 88,000 tons of pomegranate to foreign countries this solar year, showing increase comparing to last year,” said Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, a spokesperson to the ministry of commerce and industry. He said it was a very good opportunity for owners of the country’s orchards as ministry of commerce and industry and chamber of investment have provided them with good facilities of marketing for the pomegranate, adding that the country’s ministry of commerce and industry would make further effort to find a good market for the domestic products. He considered the taste and quality of Kandahar pomegranate as good, saying that the pomegranate of Kandahar was popular and had good market abroad. According to Jawad, Kandahar pomegranate has been exported this year to Pakistan, India, Russia and United Arab Emirate (UAE).
Meanwhile, spokesperson of the ministry of commerce has also informed of increasing exports of pine nuts in recent months.
“More than 5,000 tons of pine nuts worth $53 million have been exported to foreign countries, particularly China,” Jawad said, adding that nearly 2,200 tons of pine nuts have been exported to China. He further said that 700 tons of the exported pine nuts to China have been exported through air corridor. A number of traders of pine nuts say the demand for purchasing Afghanistan pine nuts has increased in the world’s markets.
“Pine nuts is Afghanistan’s biggest product that is exported to foreign countries as our country’s pine nuts has good markets in the world’s markets,” said Noor Ahmad, an Afghan trader.
He added that Afghanistan’s pine nuts was famous in China; therefore, the country continually imported the Afghan products.
Meanwhile, Afghan economic experts believe that Afghanistan can increase its revenue by exporting domestic products particularly pine nuts to foreign countries and world markets.
“If Afghanistan’s pine nuts exported directly to foreign countries, the country might get 200 – even $300 million more revenue,” said Azarakhsh Hafizi, an Afghan economic expert.
He added that exports of Afghan products particularly pine nuts have increased to foreign countries, which was good for the economic development. Based on information of the country’s pine nuts union, Afghanistan has produced this year nearly 10,000 tons of pine nuts mostly from Paktia and Khost provinces.
Shukria Kohistani
