Traders of pine nuts in eastern Nangarhar province say exports to China doubled the price of the precious dry fruit in the Afghan market.
Eyeing a similar trend in other international markets, they say there are many pine nut forests in Speen Ghar area and people look after and collect the fruit.
Pine nuts are processed in the Farm Hadda area in the 6th police district of Jalalabad, the provincial capital.
Abdul Khaliq, a pine nut trader from Achin district, said the fruit was processed easily. He added poor women and children were engaged in the task.
“We are processing pine nuts under the open sky and fear possible robberies at night. A proper place is needed for the business,” he suggested.
Syed Mahmood, another trader, said a kilogram of pine nuts was sold for 5,000 rupees. He linked the price hike to its export to China.
According to him, some forests have been damaged due to conflict in a number of districts. The forests needed to be rehabilitated, he said.
Inamullah Miakhel, spokesman for the agriculture department, told Pajhwok natural forests of pine nuts existed in 11 districts on 8,255 acres of land.
He added around 1,250 tons of the fruit was collected from the forests annually. Some 24,000 tons of pine nuts have been collected this year, a surge of 1,000 tons over the previous year.
