Business

Gov’t’s Decision to Resume Import of Petrol ‘A80’ Draws Criticism

Published

6 years ago

March 18, 2018

(Last Updated On: October 24, 2022)

National Environmental Protection Agency of Afghanistan (NEPA) has criticized the government’s decision to allow import of petrol ‘A80’, a “low-quality” fuel which was banned in the past in the country.

Nik Mohammad, the Chief of Surveillance and Auditing in NEPA, said that the low-quality fuels including ‘A80’ were being “smuggled” to Afghanistan, which according to him will increase air pollution in the cities.

He said despite people using old vehicles, expecting the government to import high-quality fuel.

The Afghanistan National Standards Authority (ANSA) confirmed the issue but insisted that they will prevent the smuggling of low-quality petroleum to the country.

Naqibullah Faiq the Director General of ANSA said that some positive steps being taken regarding the import of diesel and petrol in the country. But “people still not finding the high-quality fuels in the market, considering the fee as they pay for,” he said.

The consumption of low-quality fuel not only increases air pollution but also causes serious health issues to the people, according to Health Ministry.

“The patients who have issues in breathing system are being increased and it mostly because of the consumption of non-standard fuels which increase air pollution.” said the ministry spokesman Wahid Majroh.

This comes months after the Ministry of Finance suggested to allow companies to resume importing petrol ‘A80’ to the country, in a bid to reduce fuel prices in markets.

Business

Export volume totals over $140 million in last month of 1402

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: April 17, 2024)

The National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) confirmed Tuesday that in the last month of solar year 1402, (March 2024) Afghanistan’s exports totaled $141.1 million and imports totaled $789.6 million.

This was down from $174 million for exports in the same period in 1401. However, imports increased by $99.2 million in 1402, up from $690.4 million.

Most exports in the last month of 1402 went to Pakistan, India and the United Arab Emirates, while in the last month of 1401 exports went to Pakistan, India and China.

Business

Afghanistan-Kazakhstan chamber of commerce opens in Herat

Published

4 days ago

April 15, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: April 15, 2024)

The Ministry of Interior said the governor of Herat province Islam Jar met with Alim Khan Yasin Gildaye, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Afghanistan, to discuss various issues around trade.

According to the ministry, the two sides discussed the expansion of trade facilities, increasing the volume of trade exchanges between traders of the two countries, reducing customs tariffs, solving the challenges of traders and issuing visas to them.

The Afghanistan-Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce has been opened in Herat in order to facilitate and increase trade between the two countries.

Business

Afghanistan reaches self-sufficiency in production of 133 items: MoIC

Published

6 days ago

April 13, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: April 13, 2024)

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) says Afghanistan has reached self-sufficiency in 45 sectors and the production of 133 items, and that the ministry is striving to change Afghanistan from an importing country to an exporting one.

The ministry officials said that for this purpose, supporting domestic products and attracting investment is essential.

The ministry’s spokesman Abdul Salam Jawad Akhundzada emphasized increasing the use of domestic goods and products in government and national projects and added that efforts have also begun to find a market for domestic products inside and outside the country.

“We have reached self-sufficiency in 133 items of production, which is 45 sectors, and also we reached the capacity of semi-self-sufficiency in 95 items of production, which is 27 sectors,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chamber of Industries and Mines (ACIM) says over the past two and a half years, more attention has been paid to the development of domestic production and it is also expanding.

The chamber officials stressed expanding the culture of using domestic products in government projects.

“I think that the government is one of the biggest consumers in the market if it uses domestic products in all its development projects,” said Abdul Nasir Rashtia, a member of ACIM.

Economic experts also said that if the use of domestic products in government projects increases, Afghanistan will quickly move towards economic independence.