Business
Afghan air corridor for cargo to resume next week
The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) deputy head said Thursday that Afghanistan’s international air corridor for cargo will resume next week.
Mohammad Younis Mohmand told Ariana News the first flight will carry pine nuts.
The ACCI however continues to criticize Pakistan over its treatment of Afghan businessmen and called for issues to be resolved at the Torkham and Spin Boldak land ports.
Mohmand also blasted the United States for holding Afghanistan’s foreign reserves “hostage”.
He said this was a matter of grave concern as it directly affected the country’s economy.
Mostly all economic activity in the country came to a grinding halt almost two months ago when the former government collapsed.
Now however, with a vastly improved security situation, the export of Afghan produce via air corridors will resume, he said.
“Flights are ready, InshAllah (God Willing), maybe in four or five days the first cargo flight abroad will take place,” said Mohmand.
On the issue of treatment of Afghan businessmen by Pakistan, Mohmand called for good relations between both sides.
“Relations are not good. We call for mutual respect in all economic sectors with all our friends and neighbors in order to improve the economic situation,” Mohmand added.
Mohmand meanwhile said the freezing of Afghan assets by the US was an extremely serious situation and that the continuation of this will exacerbate the economic crisis in the country.
“We demand the release of Afghan money. Our banking system is in trouble because of this money and all major projects have stopped,” Mohmand added.
He also called for the banking system to be normalized and said the process of trade and investment was dependent on reliable banking activities.
Pakistan’s kinno exports remain far below potential as regional tensions, high freight costs and weak government support continue to choke the citrus trade.
Despite being a leading global citrus producer, Pakistan is expected to export just 400,000–450,000 tonnes of kinno in the 2025–26 season, compared with an estimated capacity of 700,000–800,000 tonnes.
Exports in 2024–25 stood at around 350,000–400,000 tonnes, mainly to Russia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Indonesia and Central Asia. While better fruit quality this season has raised hopes, persistent crossing disruptions—especially with Afghanistan—and transport bottlenecks have offset gains.
Growers say prices have collapsed sharply, forcing panic sales. Rates for large kinno have fallen from over Rs120 per kg early in the season to as low as Rs75, while smaller fruit is selling for Rs35–40 per kg amid weak demand.
Industry leaders warn the crisis is crippling processing units and jobs. More than 100 factories reportedly failed to open this season, with dozens more shutting down as exports stall. Cold storages in Sargodha are nearly full, putting fruit worth millions of dollars at risk of spoilage, while growers fear losses of up to Rs10 billion.
Exporters are urging the government to urgently resolve issues, subsidise logistics, and help access alternative markets, warning that prolonged inaction could devastate farmers, workers and the wider economy.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran will facilitate trade and economic exchanges with Afghanistan, including easing procedures at customs and local marketplaces.
He made the remarks during a televised interview following his visit to South Khorasan province, which shares a border with Afghanistan.
Pezeshkian, in a separate event addressing local business leaders, highlighted the province’s strategic advantages, citing its rich mineral resources, proximity to neighboring countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, and access to the ocean via the Chabahar port. He described the region as “a golden opportunity not found everywhere,” emphasizing its potential for economic growth and cross-border commerce.
A Kazakh delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Finance of Kazakhstan met with Sediqullah Khalid, First Deputy Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank, to discuss ways of strengthening banking and economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to a statement issued by Da Afghanistan Bank, Khalid said the central bank is keen to establish regular and effective banking relations with Kazakhstan as part of broader efforts to expand bilateral trade.
He noted that enhanced banking cooperation would help facilitate trade, investment, and wider economic interaction between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan, while also contributing to financial stability at the regional level.
Members of the Kazakh delegation also emphasized the importance of developing banking and economic ties and expressed their readiness to expand joint cooperation.
The two sides further agreed to establish technical committees from both countries to hold expert-level discussions and advance practical steps for cooperation.
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