Business
Kapisa reports solid pine nut harvests of 85 tons
Kapisa’s Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock confirmed a bumper yield of pine nuts and said 85 metric tons has been harvested this year.
Officials said this year, nearly 2,000 hectares of land in the Nijrab, Tagaba and Alasay districts were used as pine nut plantations.
Homayoun Habib, head of the Kapisa Department of Agriculture, said pine nuts are traditionally processed in the province but traders generally buy the product unprocessed.
“Pine nuts is one of the most important export items of Nijrab, Alasay and Tagab districts. Every year, a large amount of pine nuts is sent from these districts to other provinces and even exported abroad as dried fruit from Afghanistan and has a special place on local and international markets,” said Habib.
The farming of pine nuts has increased dramatically over the past few years in Afghanistan after the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL)
planted hundreds of thousands of pine tree saplings over the years.
Pine trees, that yield the pine nuts, grow in mountainous eastern provinces of Afghanistan, including Khost, Paktia, Paktika, Kapisa, Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan and Laghman.
Newly launched air cargo routes has already encouraged farmers to harvest more pine nuts and has enabled Afghanistan to export the valuable dried fruit to other countries – and specifically to China, one of the country’s major trading partners.
According to reports, the price of 1kg of pine nuts on local markets is as much as 2,800 Afghanis [about $37].
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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