Lacking air corridor, pine nut exports drop

KABUL (TOLOnews): The lack of cargo flights has caused a significant reduction in the export of pine nuts, Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) said.
A member of the ACCI, Khanj Jan Alokozai, said that the Islamic Emirate is not providing subsidies for the traders to export the pine nuts.
“The pine nuts of Afghanistan have been exported to Pakistan. The flights via air-corridor are stopped but we are trying to resume flights,” he said.
The traders also called on the Islamic Emirate to facilitate the export of pine nuts abroad. An Afghan businessman in China said there is a high demand in the Chinese market for Afghanistan’s pine nuts.
“The expense of cargo flights was paid for by the government within the subsidy system but, unfortunately, last year they did not facilitate this and the price to export pine nuts was high. The Afghan businessmen can’t enter the competition with Pakistan’s businessmen,” said an Afghan businessman in China, Salman Reha.
“We were not able to conduct good exports due to lack of a proper plan, engagement among the countries and banking restrictions,” said Mahbob Mohammad.
According to statistics of ACCI, more than 20,000 tons of pine nuts were produced in the solar year 1400 across the country, of which only 5,500 tons were exported via air-corridor.