In Afghanistan's Kanadahar province, fresh fruit businessmen are expecting a higher grape harvest this year and are hoping to export 40,000 tonnes of the fruit worth millions of dollars.
Although the harvest of grapes has yet to gain momentum, around 50 tonnes of the fruit was exported to Pakistan from Kandahar on a daily basis, Haji Nanai Agha, Fresh Fruit Dealers Association (FFDA) head, told Pajhwok Afghan News. Compared to 2015 there were fewer natural disasters this year.
He said currently 50 tonnes of grapes were being exported to Pakistan and the quantity could jump to 150 tonnes within a few days when the harvest season reaches its peak. He believed over 20,000 tonnes of grapes might be sold abroad this year.
Fresh fruits are largely exported through Pakistan, but traders expect a new window of export opportunity with the launch of trade activities at Chabahar Port.
Afghanistan's fruits have a good market in Asia and Europe, but there are no facilities to transfer them.
Subsequently, the Afghan merchants had to rely heavily on Pakistan, according to FFDA head, who revealed 20,000 tonnes of grape exports were registered while 20,000 tonnes went abroad without registration. He put the value of the total exports at $10 million.
The neighbouring country often created huge hurdles for Afghan exporters, inflicting huge losses on them, Agha alleged, saying that Pakistan’s diplomatic missions had assured them of more facilities. In addition, they pledged to close the main gates for sometime for travellers so that trucks could cross the borders without interruption.
Haji Roohullah, a fresh fruit merchant, also complained of Pakistani officials’ attitude toward Afghanistan’s fresh fruit exporters. He viewed the Chabahar port as a golden opportunity for Afghan businessmen to swiftly move their goods and services across borders.
The Chabahar port is situated near the Persian Gulf on Iranian territory, 700 kilometres from the Afghanistan’s southwestern Nimroz province. The port is economical for Afghan businessmen, particularly fruit exporters. He explained airlifting of fruits was not economical and the cost of commodities could rise multiple times.
Orchard owners, meanwhile, urged the government to explore markets for their produce. This year’s production of grapes is better, but they may not benefit farmers as the exports are confined to Pakistan and some other countries.
Eng. Abdul Baqi Beena, deputy head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), said 97 percent of grapes were exported to Pakistan and India. A small portion is also sent to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He said they were in contact with Iranian authorities to explore ways of getting fresh fruit exports from Afghanistan via Chabahar port. Last year, Kandahar produced $68 million of fresh and dried fruits.
Source: pajhwok.com
