Business
Afghanistan’s exports total $2 billion for last solar year

The deputy minister of trade and industry said on Tuesday at a press conference that Afghanistan’s exports totaled $2 billion for the past solar year.
Presenting his financial report for the 1401 solar year, Mawlavi Qadratullah Jamal said: “For the first time, Afghanistan’s exports have reached about two billion dollars, which shows an increase of 135 percent compared to [solar year] 1400 and 166 percent compared to 1399.”
According to the deputy minister, the recent actions of the Islamic Emirate’s administrations on improving the trade balance, maintaining monetary stability, creating work opportunities and providing transparency in revenue collection are among the reasons for the growth in Afghanistan’s trade and export revenue.
“During the last year, with a total value of $925.5 million, coal, cotton, hemp, pomegranate, raisins, figs, grapes, Roman eggplant, black pine nuts and onions to Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, China, Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Kazakhstan have been exported,” Jamal said.
Officials add that in order to standardize and increase the country’s exports, the ministry plans to establish export processing centers in five zones around the country.
Officials have also said that the necessary facilities have been provided for importing goods and that the private sector can import their goods without any problems.
The deputy minister added that in order to strengthen trade, facilitate exports and imports and expand cooperation between countries, necessary arrangements have been made with neighboring countries such as Iran, Pakistan, Russia, China, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
The officials of the ministry say that in terms of development and improvement of the industry in Afghanistan, fundamental steps have been taken, which includes growth in 50 sectors – including the iron smelting and skewer production sector, the spice sector, the soft drink production sector, the carpet sector and the printing sector.
According to the ministry, there are 51 industrial parks in the country, of which 14 industrial parks have been kept active during the last year, and efforts are underway to attract investment and reactivate all industrial parks.
According to the officials, in terms of attracting domestic and foreign investments, by providing the necessary facilities, the barriers to the investors have been removed.
Recently, a service center was established at the Kabul airport, and so far, 100 investors have received visas through this center. In addition, the ministry has created a legal and regulatory framework so that domestic and foreign investors can invest in the country with full confidence.
Also, the complex and time-consuming processes have been modified and now the private sector and entrepreneurs can receive, renew or cancel their licenses in the shortest possible time, officials said.
According to the ministry, during the last year, 5,100 licenses were distributed, 7,228 licenses were renewed and 333 licenses were canceled and 7,000 business passports were also distributed.
According to officials, during the year 1401, the amount of 341.6 million afghanis was allocated to this ministry and the amount of 15.5 million afghanis was allocated to this ministry, of which 83.3 percent of this amount was used.
Also, in 1401, a total amount of 704.48 million afghanis was collected, which shows a 43.37 percent increase compared to last year.
Business
Ministry of Finance rejects claims of closure of Islam Qala customs office

The ministry of finance has rejected claims that the Islam Qala customs office in Herat province has suspended operations.
According to officials, media reports indicated that their office closed on Wednesday.
“We reject the false reports published in this regard and want to mention that Islam Qala Customs of Herat works normally and provides the necessary services,” officials said.
Business
Five-day expo in Herat of domestic products draws good response

Herat Chamber of Industries and Mines says a five-day expo of domestically manufactured goods has drawn over 20,000 visitors and that business owners have signed dozens of contracts with investors and traders from other provinces.
“The booths were very good, the facilities were very good, people had all visited, participated from Herat and other provinces, and many of the contracts were signed at this expo,” said Toryali Ghousi, deputy of Herat Chamber of Industries and Mines.
Officials also said that the factory owners have displayed their products in 120 booths.
Dairy and other consumable products along with plastic goods, medicines and home appliances were among the items showcased at this expo.
Business owners have welcomed initiatives to hold expos and say more are needed so as to encourage people to buy domestic products.
“If these expos are always held and people come to see the domestic products, Inshallah, we will be able to stop the goods coming from abroad and move towards self-sufficiency,” said one business owner.
“Most of the people are not aware of domestic products and when expos are held, they become aware of domestic products,” said another participant.
Business
Process of exporting fresh fruit to world markets kicks off: MoIC

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) says the process of exporting fresh fruit to world markets has started.
The ministry’s spokesman Abdul Salam Jawad said that they are trying to market the country’s fresh fruits in order to export them at a reasonable price.
“Fortunately, we were able to export 20 tons of cherries to Kazakhstan, and our other fresh fruit is black cherry, which are ripe and almost ready to package, and we will export them to the United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan,” he said.
The Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock also said that when problems with the issuing of visas by countries to Afghan businessmen are resolved, they can export more products.
“We have invested in the packaging and in the cold storage areas, and we have the ability to adjust and export this packaging to Europe and America based on global standards,” said Omid Haidari, head of foreign relations of the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock.
“Unfortunately, due to the lack of air corridors and subsidies from the Ministry of Agriculture, we indirectly export fruits to India and Pakistan, and later Indian and Pakistani businessmen buy from us and export to Europe,” he added.
However, a number of investors say that if the country’s fresh fruit is not marketed, farmers and businessmen will face losses.
“Seven kilos of our watermelons are sold for fifty afghanis, seven kilos of our watermelons from Farah to here [Kabul] cost forty afghanis as fare; the farmer is really very poor,” said a trader.
According to experts, if fresh fruit and other products of Afghanistan are regularly exported, the country’s national income will increase.
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