Kabul seeks alternate routes as uncertainty at Pakistan border affects trade

New Delhi: Uncertainty at the Afghanistan-Pakistan border following heavy exchanges of fire this month comes at a time when reports indicate a boom in Kabul’s agricultural exports, with dried fruits emerging as the country’s most valuable export in recent months.

This has forced the Taliban regime to seek new trade routes, said reports. Traders on both sides, together, lose about $1 million every day due to the closure of border crossings, Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce President Khan Jan Alokozai told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He added about 2,000 vehicles used to travel through the border posts daily, but all these routes have been closed for the past two weeks. Perishable items, like fruits and vegetables, are the major cause of the losses incurred by the traders.

The closure comes at a time when Afghanistan’s agricultural exports were showing a rare bright spot amid a difficult economic landscape, with dried fruits — almonds, pistachios, raisins, dried apricots and walnuts — among the country’s most valuable export lines in recent months.

Reports from Kabul indicate that dried‑fruit shipments have generated approximately $518 million over the past 10 months, with Tolo News quoting Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment that dried fruit exports from the province itself have increased by over 130 per cent this year.

According to the chamber’s data, around 14,000 tonnes of dried fruits, worth nearly $40 million, have been exported to various countries over the past six months. In the same period last year, 8,000 tonnes were exported, valued at $16.5 million.

The report also mentioned a recent announcement from the Herat Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock that several new international markets were showing interest in purchasing Afghan dried fruits, which could significantly multiply the volume of dried fruit exports.

Overall, Afghan dried fruits are in high demand globally, and those from Herat are considered even superior, according to its officials.

Significantly, almonds have proved resilient to water shortages and remain the only crop sustaining local livelihoods, even as recent droughts have severely affected agriculture in Afghanistan’s central province of Daikundi, reported Pajhwok News.

Almond trees, it said, are known for their tolerance to drought, and have survived in parts of the province and continue to serve as a main source of income for many families.

The semi-arid climate zone in Afghanistan is largely characterised by hot, dry summers and cold winters, with some wet spells in limited areas. For its trade, the landlocked country uses Karachi and Gwadar ports in Pakistan, and Chabahar in Iran for shipments.

Recently, the US has reimposed sanctions on Tehran, ending earlier waivers, in an apparent bid to isolate Iran. This sudden turn has raised legal, banking, and insurance obstacles for global companies working at Chabahar.

Now, in response to the challenges and the suspension of Afghan goods transit through Pakistan, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan has announced efforts to establish alternative trade routes.

According to Tolo News, Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi has shared his department’s initiative aiming to support Afghan farmers, traders, and industrialists.

The Afghan news agency has claimed that some Pakistani media outlets have quoted the country’s Foreign Ministry as saying that trade transit with Kabul is currently suspended and crossings will remain closed until security conditions are reviewed.

The Taliban leadership had claimed that it carried out retaliatory action at the Pakistan border on October 18, after Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Paktika province and also in Kabul.

Normal trade can resume only after some concrete understanding is reached between the two neighbours in the ongoing multi-round negotiations between their emissaries.

IANS