Afghanistan Exports Over $580 Million in Fresh and Dried Fruits in First Half of Year

Afghanistan exported more than $580 million worth of fresh and dried fruits during the first six months of the current year, according to a statement from the office of the Taliban's deputy chief minister for economic affairs.

The statement listed major buyers of Afghanistan's produce as India, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Iran, Iraq, and Tajikistan, among others. The exports included dried fruits and nuts such as pistachios, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, and raisins, as well as fresh produce like pomegranates, grapes, apples, melons, figs, cherries, apricots, and pears.

Shipments were facilitated through a combination of land corridors and revived air cargo routes, which have reduced delivery times and improved access to regional and global markets. The statement attributed the growth to recent infrastructure improvements, including the expansion of Afghanistan's railway system, the rehabilitation of key highways, and the reactivation of international air corridors. These developments have strengthened the country's transit capacity, which is essential for a landlocked nation reliant on cross-border trade.

This export activity occurs amid trade tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, following weeks of political and security issues affecting both countries. Major border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan have remained closed for the past 38 days.

In response to the border closures, the Taliban's deputy chief minister, Abdul Ghani Baradar, ordered a pause in pharmaceutical imports from Pakistan last week and urged traders to seek alternative routes for their imports from Pakistan. On Monday, the Taliban's commerce minister stated that at least 12,000 containers belonging to Afghan traders are stuck in Karachi and other Pakistani ports.