Business
Officials dismiss concerns over shortage of coal during winter
Amid a rise in the level of coal exports, Afghan officials on Tuesday dismissed concerns that there will be a shortage of coal on the local market for heating during the winter months.
“We assure the citizens that coal will be available in all cities at a very low price. They should not worry,” said Esmatullah Burhan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.
He warned that legal action will be taken against those who sell coal at a higher price.
Afghanistan exports about 10,000 tons of coal a day to Pakistan.
The price of coal has increased in Afghanistan in recent months.
“The price of coal has doubled this year. We want the government to reduce the prices. If the situation remains the same, people cannot buy it” said Ezatullah, a Kabul resident.
A member of the Chamber of Industries and Mines suggested that there is also hoarding of coal.
“If the prices go up, people undoubtedly can’t buy coal for heating. I think exports should be checked and also the market should be seriously monitored and the government should crack down on hoarding,” said Abdul Naseer Roshtia, a member of the Chamber of Industries and Mines.
Jawad Dabir, a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said that the ministry monitors the prices, not only in the capital, but also in provinces.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said Thursday it has signed cooperation agreements with ten institutions to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, said: “In the implementation of projects, we must pay special attention to our activities and actions and try to make useful use of the projects according to the requirements and benefit the beneficiaries.”
These ten institutions are to present their projects, the total value of which is around over $1.1 million. The projects will be carried out in Kabul, Baghlan, Ghor, Herat, Logar, Nangarhar, Balkh, Badakhshan and Jawzjan provinces and provide direct jobs for about 1,000.
To date, the ministry has signed MoUs for 72 projects in total, collectively valued at about $53.6 million.
These agreements have been signed with domestic and foreign companies for the establishment of small and medium-sized businesses.
In accordance with the principles and laws of the Islamic Emirate and prioritizing the implementation of projects for immigrants and returnees and internally displaced people, the ministry said 635,865 people will benefit through jobs directly and over 4.3 million will benefit indirectly in 25 provinces once these projects are implemented.
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.
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