Business
Honey production increases in Nangarhar province
Nangarhar officials said this week that domestic honey production has increased this year, against last year, and that so far, 650 tons has been produced.
Beekeepers have said however that recent political developments and drought have affected their trade.
But officials at the Nangarhar Department of Agriculture say significant steps have been taken to address beekeepers’ problems.
Beekeepers in Nangarhar, like in other parts of the country, plant seasonal flowers for their bees. However, with fewer shrubs and flowers, due to drought, they have been forced to move their bees across the Durand Line into Pakistan, which they say has created problems for them.
They say they are made to pay taxes and in some cases bribes.
“If flowers are planted for us in the tropical parts of Afghanistan, we will not need to go to Pakistan,” said beekeeper Rahman Gul.
“Across the Durand Line, they take money from us as much as they can for each beehive,” he said.
But honey sellers in Jalalabad are happy and say that trade is improving daily after the change in the political system.
“We have different honey, but most people like Nangarhar honey,” said Ekhteyar Jan, a honey seller.
Officials from the Nangarhar Agriculture Department said honey is currently exported to different parts of the country, and that necessary measures have been taken to solve the problems of beekeepers.
Dr Zamir Behsudi, a representative of the Nangarhar Department of Agriculture, said: “Our honey production has increased compared to previous years and even our domestic honey has been exported to foreign countries. It still has a good market and demand and we have a plan for beekeepers to plant them flowers.”
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.
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.
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.
Tahawol: China’s call for inclusive government in Afghanistan
Balkh health officials report sharp increase in number of cancer patients
Saar: UN’s report on poverty in Afghanistan discussed
Afghanistan loses 3-1 to Iran in Futsal Asian Cup match
2023 marred by ‘tremendous challenges’ for Afghanistan
ATN secures TV and digital rights to broadcast IPL 2024 in Afghanistan
Blinken meets with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss Gaza
Afghanistan and India play out goalless draw in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Dead body of Quran-burner found in Norway
Pakistan resumes process of forced deportations of undocumented Afghans
Tahawol: China’s call for inclusive government in Afghanistan
Saar: UN’s report on poverty in Afghanistan discussed
Tahawol: Russia and Tajikistan hold joint military drills along Afghanistan border
Saar: Anti-corruption efforts & better public services discussed
Tahawol: Abdul Kabir’s recent remarks discussed
-
Sport4 days agoACL draw to be broadcast live on ATN channels
-
Regional5 days agoIRGC chief warns of harsher response if Israel attacks Iran
-
Sport3 days agoACL fever grows as fixtures finalized
-
Regional5 days agoIran launches retaliatory attack on Israel with hundreds of drones, missiles
-
Latest News5 days agoContact group on Afghanistan hits roadblock over Pakistan’s gripe with India
-
Sport5 days agoHetmyer powers Rajasthan win in low-scoring IPL thriller
-
World5 days agoUN Security Council to meet Sunday on Iran attack
-
World4 days agoUS will not take part in any Israeli retaliatory action against Iran