Business
Private company officially starts extraction of chromite in Khost

The Department of Mines and Petroleum of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has announced the start of chromite mining in Khost province, in the Tani district.
Mohammad Sadiq Hamza, head of mines and petroleum in Khost, told the media on Sunday that work to extract chromite has started after a local company was given a five-year contract.
Hamzah said over this five-year period, 21,000 tons of chromite ore will be extracted.
He said government will get 215 million afghanis from the proceeds.
“One ton of it (chromite) has been set at 10,000 afghanis, and in total, 21,500 tons of chromite will be extracted from this mine in the course of five years, and the revenue of 215 million afghanis will be gained,” said Hamza.
The ministry of mines said recently that an assessment of 650 mines had been carried out and that contracts would be awarded to local and foreign companies to start mining operations.
Mining companies have meanwhile said that the emerging process around mining in the country is an improvement as in the past, minerals were extracted illegally and money went into the pockets of individuals. Now however, the sector is being standardized and regulated and contracts are awarded to companies in a transparent and fair way.
Abdul Latif Wahedi, the operations manager of Nefrait Sharq, the company that won the contract for the chromite mine, said: “These contracts are now given to the companies in a transparent manner, and you can see that now every mine in different provinces is extracted in a standardized way, and with this, the government’s income will increase on the one hand, and on the other hand, job opportunities will be provided.”
Khost provincial officials meanwhile said that another two mines will also start up in the near future.
Mawlavi Mohammad Anwar Din Parwar, deputy governor of Khost, said that “in the coming days, you will witness the opening of two more mines in Khost province.”
Chromite is the only source of chromium and is used in the steel industry.
Business
Afghanistan-India trade volume totalled $890 million in last solar year
However, Afghanistan’s trade with India through Pakistan has been halted due to closure of the Attari-Wagah border this week.

Afghanistan’s trade with India continued to grow through solar year 1403, with Afghan exports accounting for a significant percentage of the total $890 million.
According to Abdul Salam Jawad, the spokesman for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Afghanistan’s exports to India amounted to $627 million.
Imports were however considerably less, totalling $263 million.
Jawad stated that Afghanistan’s exports were primarily agricultural and herbal products.
The main items included dried figs, asafetida, asafetida seeds, saffron, raisins, cumin, and almonds.
India remains one of Afghanistan’s key regional trade partners, and trade figures highlight the ongoing demand for Afghan goods despite broader geopolitical and logistical challenges.
However, Afghanistan’s trade with India through Pakistan has been halted due to closure of the Attari-Wagah border this week.
Indian media reported that the border, which is the only land route allowed for trade, is now closed.
This route is vital for importing goods from Afghanistan to India, and if it is stopped, trade with Afghanistan will be severely affected.
Some traders have said they will seek alternate routes.
India closed its border crossing this week after gunmen shot and killed at least 26 tourists on Tuesday at a resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Police blamed Pakistani militants for the attack.
Business
Afghan businessman to invest up to $12 million in iron ore extraction in Panjshir

An unnamed Afghan businessman is reportedly ready to invest up to $12 million in iron ore mining in Panjshir province, the provincial governor’s spokesman Saifuddin Laton said Sunday.
According to Laton, the businessman has shown interest in investing between $3 and $12 million to mine an area covering 22 square kilometers in Paryan district in Panjshir.
Laton said the contract for this project has been approved by the Economic Directorate of the Prime Minister’s Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
In addition to extraction, the businessman will also carry out the processing and packaging of the iron ore within the province to create greater added value.
Laton said that in the first phase, the company will launch an exploratory program of the reserves over six months, during which around 500 jobs will be created.
After completing this phase, formal extraction work will begin, he said.
Afghanistan possesses substantial iron ore reserves, estimated at 2.2 billion tonnes, making it a top 10 country for extractable iron.
The largest deposit, Hajigak, is located in Bamiyan province, and contains an estimated 1.7 billion tonnes of high-grade ore.
Business
Afghan deputy agriculture minister leaves for Iran’s international expo

Sadri Azam Osmani, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, on Saturday left Kabul to participate in the 7th International Exhibition of Iran’s Export Capabilities in Tehran.
The expo will be held from April 28 to May 2. According to the organizers, between 2,000 and 3,000 foreign traders from around the world are expected to attend.
Osmani expressed hope that this trip will pave the way for the growth of trade and attract more investments to Afghanistan.
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