Business
Afghan pine nuts exports increase: officials
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce have announced that exports of Afghan pine nuts have increased recently.
Officials in the ministry say that in the last eight months, more than 5,000 tons of pine nuts worth $14 million have been exported to the United Arab Emirates, China, Qatar, UK, USA, Australia, Netherlands and other countries.
“In the last eight months, pine nuts exports worth approximately 14 million dollars were exported mainly to China, India, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, US, UK, Australia, Netherlands and other countries,” said Abdulsalam Jawad Akhundzada, the spokesman of the ministry.
“Although it was the best in terms of price and quality, but most of last year’s pine nuts still remain in the markets, which should be exported to Arab countries and US through international expos, and must be supported by subsidy programs by the government to other domestic factories and should be regulated,” said Mahboobullah Mohammadi, an investor.
Meanwhile, officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock also say that they are trying to increase the production of pine nuts in the country. The ministry’s spokesman adds that pine nuts are produced in a traditional way, and they have managed this process properly and prevented waste.
“Pine nuts are in the natural forests, and in the forests where there are pine nuts, we have tried to increase the yield of pine nuts,” said Misbahuddin Mustain, the spokesman of the ministry.
Experts say that the government should pay more attention to the production and export of pine nuts and introduce this product in global markets.
Afghan pine nuts enjoys a special reputation. In the past years, the product used to be exported to global markets through air corridors, but now that the air corridors are not fully operational, a small amount of pine nuts is exported outside the country.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Afghanistan exported goods worth nearly $2 billion to regional countries and beyond during the year 2023.
Its spokesman stated on Monday that Afghanistan’s exports were mainly to countries such as Pakistan, India, China, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
He mentioned that Afghanistan’s exports this year have increased by two percent compared to previous years and emphasized the need for world’s restrictions to be lifted for the development of Afghanistan’s trade.
Business
Afghanistan invites Turkish investors to expand joint investments
Participants stressed the importance of increasing private sector cooperation and creating new opportunities to boost trade and investment between Afghanistan and Türkiye.
A high-level Afghan business delegation, led by the Chairman of the Balkh Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Mohammad Ibrahim Ghazanfar, participated in the Afghanistan–Türkiye Joint Business Council meeting in Istanbul, calling for expanded joint investment and stronger economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to a statement from the Balkh Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Ghazanfar invited Turkish investors and industrialists to explore investment opportunities across various sectors in Afghanistan, emphasizing the country’s potential for mutually beneficial partnerships.
The meeting brought together business leaders, investors, and private sector representatives from both Afghanistan and Türkiye to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties.
During the event, several cooperation agreements were signed between Afghan and Turkish economic institutions. The agreements are aimed at expanding commercial relations, promoting joint investment projects, and enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting was chaired by Süleyman Güllü, Chairman of the Türkiye–Afghanistan Joint Business Council, and was attended by Mohammad Akbar Azimi, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Consul General in Istanbul, along with a number of businessmen and investors from both countries.
Participants stressed the importance of increasing private sector cooperation and creating new opportunities to boost trade and investment between Afghanistan and Türkiye.
Business
Afghanistan chamber, India’s ASSOCHAM sign MoU to enhance trade and investment cooperation
The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral trade, investment, and business cooperation between India and Afghanistan.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi by Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General of ASSOCHAM, and Sayed Mohammad Karim Hashemi, Chairman of ACCI, during a meeting between business leaders from the two countries, ASSOCHAM said in a statement.
The Afghan delegation, led by Hashemi, held discussions with Nirmal Kumar Minda, President of ASSOCHAM, and other officials on ways to expand bilateral trade, investment flows, and private-sector cooperation.
According to ASSOCHAM, the MoU seeks to strengthen institutional collaboration, promote business-to-business linkages, and facilitate greater trade and investment opportunities between India and Afghanistan.
The organization said it remains committed to fostering stronger economic ties and creating new avenues of cooperation between the business communities of both countries.
Business
Kazakhstan signs $18.8 million zinc ore supply agreement with Afghan company
Kazakhstan has signed a major zinc ore supply agreement with an Afghan company as the two countries continue to expand economic cooperation and trade ties.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, the contract was signed between Kazakhstan’s ShalkiyaZinc and Afghanistan’s Afghan German Bakhtar Company during the opening of the Kazakhstan Trade House in Kabul.
The signing took place as part of an official business mission led by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, Serik Zhumangarin.
Under the agreement, Afghan German Bakhtar Company will supply approximately 30,000 tons of zinc ore annually on DAP (Delivered at Place) terms. The ore will be used as raw material for the production facilities of Kazakhstan’s Kazzinc. The total value of the contract is estimated at $18.88 million.
The deal marks a significant step in diversifying trade relations between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, moving beyond traditional agricultural exports into the mining and industrial sectors.
“Afghanistan today is a market of opportunities,” said Kanat Kudaibergen, Chairman of the Board of GWM Capital LTD. He noted that while Kazakhstan’s exports to Afghanistan have historically consisted mainly of flour, grain, sunflower oil, and other agricultural products, demand is increasingly growing for machinery, equipment, and service solutions in agriculture, construction, and mining.
Kudaibergen expressed confidence that the newly established Trade House in Kabul would serve as an important platform for developing new business projects and expanding Kazakhstan’s non-resource exports.
The agreement follows recent discussions between Kazakh officials and Afghanistan’s leadership, including Prime Minister Mohammad Hasan Akhund and Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, during which Kazakhstan expressed interest in sourcing zinc ore from Afghanistan.
Preparations for the deal began last year when specialists from Tau-Ken Samruk visited Afghanistan’s Bamyan province to assess the Pami-Kakrak zinc deposit. Samples collected during the visit were later analyzed by Kazzinc, which confirmed the feasibility of processing the ore at Kazakh facilities.
Economic relations between the two countries have been steadily strengthening. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy reported that bilateral trade reached $541.8 million in 2025. Both governments have set an ambitious target of increasing annual trade turnover to $3 billion in the coming years.
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