Afghanistan’s exports 32pc up in 8 months: minister

KABUL’s exports increased by 32 per cent in the first eight months of the ongoing fiscal year.

Addressing a press conference here, Rahizai linked the increase in exports to implementing the National Exports Strategy, establishing air corridors and holding trade shows abroad.

Other factors that contributed to the surge included building transit routes with China, Kazakhstan, India and Uzbekistan and identifying six items of country’s important products for export, he added.

“Afghanistan’s economic growth and development are the unity government’s main goals. The country’s economic growth through strengthening of the private sector, is one of government priorities,” the minister said.

He explained the priorities included supporting of local investors in order to improve the capacity of domestic products to increase exports and substitution of imports.

He mentioned the approval of industrial parks policy and the scheme for land in all industrial parks, retrieving 128 acres of parks’ lands from usurpers in Khost province and 114 acres in Kabul city, and distributing 60 acres of land to investors in Barik Aab industrial park as his ministry’s achievements.

He said 1.3 billion afghsanis would be invested in the Barik Aab industrial park, which will provide jobs for 9,000 people.

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