Business
Afghanistan’s agricultural exports total $2 billion in first four months of 2023
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock says the volume of agricultural exports from Afghanistan in the first four months of this year totaled $2 billion dollars.
According to officials in this ministry, the export volume of agricultural products has increased significantly compared to last year.
“In the first four months of the year, $2 billion worth of exports were made, the largest part of which is agricultural products, and this year, when it is now the fruit season and exports have started, it is expected that the amount of exports will be higher than in the past,” said Misbahuddin Mostain, the spokesman of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
The Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock also says a good amount of agricultural products are regularly exported, although problems do arise from time-to-time.
“In the export sector, our traders were able to export, but recently, due to the blocking of the Torkham crossing and the blocking of the Kabul-Jalalabad highway, our traders could not continue their exports. The businessman has suffered, and we can share the exact export figures only when fruits and vegetables are harvested at the end of the season,” said Mirwais Hajizada, the deputy head of the chamber of agriculture and livestock.
Experts believe that Afghanistan is an agricultural country, which provides jobs for hundreds of thousands of people. They also believe the more produce exported, the better the chance of growing Afghanistan’s economy.
However, an Iranian official has said that in the first six months of this year, Tehran has exported 35,195 tons of agricultural products to Afghanistan through the Dogharon Customs crossing. According to Iranian media reports, the country’s agricultural director added that in the first half of this year, 4,467 tons of agricultural products were imported from Afghanistan to Iran via this route.
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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