Afghanistan’s total trade volume reached nearly $14 billion in 2025, marking an increase from the previous year despite ongoing challenges, including the temporary closure of key trade routes, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said.

According to ministry figures, total trade in 2025 stood at $13.932 billion, made up of $1.807 billion in exports and $12.125 billion in imports. Officials said trade activity not only remained resilient but also expanded compared with 2024.

The ministry reported that Afghanistan’s main export destinations included India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkey, China, Iraq, and Tajikistan. Key export products ranged from agricultural and dried goods—such as figs, raisins, saffron, pistachios, almonds, dried apricots, apples, grapes, and pomegranates—to coal, cotton, carpets and kilims, mineral stones, and black pine nuts.

On the import side, Afghanistan’s primary trading partners in 2025 were Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, China, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and India, the ministry said. Major imports included fuel, flour and wheat, machinery and vehicle parts, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, vegetable oils, cement, rice, sugar, dairy products, industrial raw materials, and clothing.

For comparison, the ministry noted that Afghanistan’s total trade volume in 2024 was $12.422 billion, with $1.803 billion in exports and $10.619 billion in imports.

Officials said the increase in trade volume reflects relative stability in commercial activity and continued efforts to maintain and expand Afghanistan’s economic ties with regional and international partners.

In an effort to strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation, an official Iranian delegation led by Seyed Malek Hosseini, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare, has travelled to Kabul.

According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Iranian delegation met with Abdul Manan Omari, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral labor relations, regulating and facilitating the exchange of workforce, expanding technical and vocational training programs, and ensuring the rights of Afghan workers residing in Iran.

Meanwhile, officials from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock held separate meetings in Iran with the deputy minister for water and soil at Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture. The talks centered on the exchange of technical expertise in water management, conservation of water resources, and the use of modern irrigation systems, including drip and sprinkler irrigation technologies.

Afghan officials also emphasized that Afghanistan is prepared to provide the necessary facilities and incentives to encourage private sector investment from Iran in the agricultural sector—an initiative seen as vital for boosting agricultural production and improving water resource management in the country.

Observers say Kabul and Tehran are currently seeking to deepen economic and technical cooperation. While some analysts link this trend to recent tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iranian officials have stressed that the expansion of relations with Afghanistan is being pursued independently of recent regional developments.

These diplomatic and technical engagements indicate that Afghanistan and Iran are moving toward more practical and targeted cooperation, covering key areas such as labor and human resources, agriculture, investment, and water management.

Kazakhstan has recorded a significant increase in grain exports to neighboring countries, including Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, driven by strong regional demand, official data shows.

According to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), cited by the Ministry of Agriculture, the country exported 3.9 million tons of grain between September and December 19, 2025. This represents an increase from 3.4 million tons during the same period last year.

The strongest growth was seen along major regional export routes. Grain exports to Uzbekistan rose by 35 percent, increasing from 1.315 million tons to 1.774 million tons. Shipments to Kyrgyzstan doubled, climbing from 59,000 tons to 122,000 tons. Exports to Afghanistan also recorded notable growth, rising by 36.8 percent from 190,000 tons to 260,000 tons.

The Ministry of Agriculture said the increase reflects strong demand from Kazakhstan’s traditional markets and supports steady growth in overseas shipments from the new grain harvest.

Speaking at a press conference on December 24, Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov said Kazakhstan’s total grain export potential is estimated at 13 million tons, with exports currently reaching 45 countries. He noted that active grain exports play a key role in stabilizing the domestic market, as Kazakhstan produces two to three times more grain than it consumes internally.

Saparov added that exporting surplus grain helps ease pressure on domestic prices while supporting farmers and the broader agricultural sector.

Meanwhile, official figures show that Kazakhstan’s total trade turnover from January to October 2025 reached $116.3 billion, a slight decline of 0.7 percent compared to the same period in 2024. Exports totaled $64.6 billion, down 4.6 percent, while imports rose by 4.7 percent to $51.7 billion.