The National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) has announced that the country’s export value decreased by $14.4 million in the first month of the solar year (Hamal, 1404) compared to the month of Hoot of last year.
The spokesperson of the authority said that the value of the country’s imports also saw a decline of $160.3 million in Hamal.
Mohammad Halim Rafi, spokesperson for the National Statistics and Information Authority, said: “The total export value in Hoot 1403 reached 100.1 million USD; analysis of the figures shows that in Hamal 1404, exports decreased by 14.4 million USD compared to the previous month.”
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce and Investment and the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock attribute this decline to tensions between Pakistan and India and the lack of fresh fruit export season. They assured that efforts to increase exports are ongoing.
Mohammad Younus Mohmand, first deputy of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said: “One reason for the low export is the conflicts between India and Pakistan. Additionally, in Hamal, our dried fruits are exported to India, but fresh fruits are not yet ripe. Other goods are also exported, and we assure you that Afghanistan’s relations with the world are improving.”
Mirwais Haji Zada, deputy of the Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock, said: “The main reasons are the closure of the Torkham route and the Wagah border. Our traders had good exports to India, but the closure of Wagah border reduced them. Some traders had their goods stuck at the Karachi border and couldn’t access them.”
According to data from the National Statistics and Information Authority, most exports in Hamal went to Pakistan, India, and the UAE, while most imports came from Iran, Pakistan, and China.