Afghan pine nuts exports increase: officials

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce have announced that exports of Afghan pine nuts have increased recently.Officials in the ministry say
that in the last eight months, more than 5,000 tons of pine nuts worth $14 million have been exported to the United Arab Emirates, China,
Qatar, UK, USA, Australia, Netherlands and other countries.&In the last eight months, pine nuts exports worth approximately 14 million
dollars were exported mainly to China, India, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, US, UK, Australia, Netherlands and
other countries,& said Abdulsalam Jawad Akhundzada, the spokesman of the ministry.&Although it was the best in terms of price and quality,
but most of last year&s pine nuts still remain in the markets, which should be exported to Arab countries and US through international
expos, and must be supported by subsidy programs by the government to other domestic factories and should be regulated,& said Mahboobullah
Mohammadi, an investor.Meanwhile, officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock also say that they are trying to
increase the production of pine nuts in the country
The ministry&s spokesman adds that pine nuts are produced in a traditional way, and they have managed this process properly and prevented
waste.&Pine nuts are in the natural forests, and in the forests where there are pine nuts, we have tried to increase the yield of pine
nuts,& said Misbahuddin Mustain, the spokesman of the ministry.Experts say that the government should pay more attention to the production
and export of pine nuts and introduce this product in global markets.Afghan pine nuts enjoys a special reputation
In the past years, the product used to be exported to global markets through air corridors, but now that the air corridors are not fully
operational, a small amount of pine nuts is exported outside the country.According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Afghanistan
exported goods worth nearly $2 billion to regional countries and beyond during the year 2023.Its spokesman stated on Monday that
Afghanistan&s exports were mainly to countries such as Pakistan, India, China, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.He
mentioned that Afghanistan&s exports this year have increased by two percent compared to previous years and emphasized the need for world&s
restrictions to be lifted for the development of Afghanistan&s trade.The post Afghan pine nuts exports increase: officials first appeared on
Ariana News.