Once again, Pakistan has imposed a ban on the export of fresh fruits to Afghanistan, marking a recent example of deteriorating trade relations between the two countries. According to the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, Pakistan has halted the export of fresh fruits to Afghanistan for the past two weeks following an increase in customs tariffs. This ban has caused significant economic losses for Afghan traders and has also affected Afghan farmers and orchard owners.
Khan Jan Alokozai, the head of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, stated, “We must activate the air corridor by any means possible because our fruits and vegetables that have a short season and perish within a month, such as peaches, plums, cherries, and others, need to be taken care of.” Afghan fresh fruits have good markets in other countries such as India, Bangladesh, and Russia, and exports to these countries should also be increased through Chabahar and Central Asian countries.
This is not the first time that Pakistan has followed a policy of increasing customs tariffs on Afghan fruits and vegetables. Occasionally, the closure of ports and the increase in customs tariffs reduce the volume of exports to Pakistan. It has been nearly two weeks since Pakistan increased customs tariffs on fresh fruits and vegetables, and during this period, traders have stopped exports to Pakistan.
Several traders say that the export of fresh fruits has become costly due to these tariffs, and the Afghan interim government must address the existing problems in this area. Afghan farmers and orchard owners, who rely on the Pakistani market for the sale of their agricultural products, are now facing significant economic challenges.
The Afghan interim government needs to seriously address the traders’ problems. In this regard, the issues of increasing customs tariffs and the closure of ports are major obstacles for traders and farmers. If the government quickly addresses the traders’ problems and helps activate the air corridor and other alternative routes, Afghanistan’s fresh fruits and vegetables will be freed from dependence on Pakistan and will reach international markets on time.
In conclusion, the ban on the export of fresh fruits and the increase in customs tariffs by Pakistan has further worsened the economic condition of traders and farmers in Afghanistan. The Afghan government must take serious steps to solve these problems and find new markets for its products. This will not only benefit Afghanistan’s economy but also improve the lives of traders and farmers.
