Afghanistan records over $6.5 billion in trade in first six months of the year: Jawad Akhundzada

Abdul Salam Jawad Akhundzada, spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, announced on Wednesday that Afghanistan conducted approximately $6.783 billion in trade during the first six months of the solar year 1404, marking a 30 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Jawad Akhundzada stated that exports reached $748 million, reflecting a 9 percent increase compared to the first six months of the previous year, when exports stood at $685 million.

Akhundzada added that imports totaled $6.035 billion, which is a 21 percent increase from the same period last year, representing an overall rise of $1.042 billion.

According to him, Afghanistan’s export products included figs, raisins, dried apricots, fresh apricots, saffron, pistachios, grapes, and beverages. These goods were exported to countries such as Pakistan, India, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Iran, China, and Iraq.

He clarified that imported goods included petroleum and gas, food items such as wheat, flour, rice, cooking oil, sugar, textiles, machinery, cement, and pharmaceuticals. These were imported from countries including Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, China, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and India.