Business
Export volume of Afghan pine nuts drops off
Exports of pine nuts from Afghanistan have declined in recent months as trade routes remain closed, traders say.
Traders in Khost said that the pine nuts could spoil if shipments remain in warehouses for too long.
“In the past, pine nuts were being exported to Pakistan, China and other countries at a high price,” said Anwar, a trader in Khost. “Now the routes are closed. The route to Pakistan is closed.”
Bostan, another pine nuts trader in Khost, said that their harvest remains in underground warehouses and the pine nuts are rotting.
According to the Khost Pine Nuts Traders Union, the price of pine nuts has declined by 50 percent and they don’t have proper facilities to preserve it.
“In the past, pine nuts would either go to China or Pakistan,” Gulkai, head of Pine Nuts Traders said. “It not only spoils, but also loses weight.”
Local officials in Khost acknowledged that pine nuts traders are facing challenges, but say they are working to resolve the problems.
“The Islamic Emirate has tried to help reopen the routes, but there are some issues which are in the hands of others only,” said Shabir Ahmad Osmani, the provincial head of information and culture in Khost.
Hundreds of tons of pine nuts are produced annually in Paktia, Khost and Paktika provinces, but its trade faces many challenges.
Recently, China promised to reactivate air corridors with Afghanistan to facilitate importing of pine nuts and other dried fruits from Afghanistan.
Business
Work on TAPI project finally kicks off in Afghanistan
Mujahid added that a large number of people are working in different sections of this project and its first phase will be completed in the next two years.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) spokesman says practical work on the Afghanistan section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) project has started.
Zabihullah Mujahid told Ariana News that technical equipment needed to implement the project was transferred to the border area between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and that practical work has started.
Mujahid added that a large number of people are working in different sections of this project and its first phase will be completed in the next two years.
According to Mujahid, practical work on the CASA-1000 project and other projects will also start soon.
The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate said that Afghanistan will slowly strengthen and good job opportunities will be provided for the country's citizens.
Economic experts also believe that this project will play a vital role in the growth of the region's economy.
According to TAPI project officials, once completed, 12,000 people in Afghanistan will have job opportunities, and Afghanistan's annual income from this project will be close to one billion dollars.
The TAPI pipeline is 1,821 kilometers long and has an annual transport capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas, making it one of the largest regional infrastructure projects.
Business
Trump warns BRICS nations against replacing US dollar
“They can go find another ‘sucker’. There is no chance that the BRICS will replace the U.S. Dollar in International Trade, and any Country that tries should wave goodbye to America.”
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday demanded that BRICS member countries commit to not creating a new currency or supporting another currency that would replace the United States dollar or face 100% tariffs, Reuters reported.
"We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
"They can go find another 'sucker'. There is no chance that the BRICS will replace the U.S. Dollar in International Trade, and any Country that tries should wave goodbye to America."
The BRICS countries - which now include Egypt, Iran, and UAE as well - discussed boosting non-dollar transactions and strengthening local currencies at a summit held in Russia's Kazan in October, read the report.
A joint declaration for the "strengthening of correspondent banking networks within BRICS and enabling settlements in local currencies in line with BRICS Cross-Border Payments Initiative" was secured at the summit in October.
However, Russia's President Vladimir Putin indicated at the summit's end that no alternatives have been made so far to compete with the Belgium-based SWIFT financial messaging system.
Business
Mullah Baradar inaugurates a blanket factory in Kabul
About 930 million Afghanis have been invested in the factory and it currently has the capacity to produce 1000 blankets per day.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the economic deputy prime minister, on Sunday inaugurated a blanket factory in Pul-e-Charkhi industrial area in Kabul city.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Baradar said that with the provision of overall security in the country and the reduction of corruption, a favorable environment for medium and small investments has been created.
He added that the Islamic Emirate continues to support domestic industries by implementing effective import substitution policies, which plays an important role in strengthening the country's national economy.
Baradar stated that in order to support domestic industries, heavy-duty machines worth 100 million afghanis ($1.4 million) were purchased for the newly established blanket factory based on the Islamic Murabaha Islamic financing structure.
Murabaha is a sales contract where the buyer and seller agree on the markup or "cost-plus" price for the item being sold.
Baradar also mentioned that the Islamic Emirate seeks to reduce dependence on foreign imports by increasing the level of investment.
He called businessmen and investors to invest inside Afghanistan for the economic growth of the country.
According to Baradar’s office, the newly established blanket factory uses domestically sourced raw materials including wool and cotton, which will help increase job opportunities in addition to strengthening the livestock and agriculture sector.
About 930 million afghanis has been invested in the factory and it currently has the capacity to produce 1,000 blankets per day.
The factory has employed about 900 people.
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