Standard packaging to improve exports, says president

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani has said the government is working to find international markets for fruits and vegetables produced in the country, insisting on standard packaging to improve exports.

A statement from the Presidential Palace on Friday said President Ghani chaired a meeting of the officials concerned about export of fruits and vegetables on Thursday evening.

The president was briefed about the production of fruits and vegetables and their export, their access to foreign and domestic markets, transport, standard packaging, unions and cooperative society of farmers.

Deputy commerce and industry minister Khan Jan Alokozai told the meeting that the government during the past two years largely focused its attention on increase in domestic production and their export to foreign countries particularly central Asian nations.

He said so far this year alone 17000 tones of fruits and vegetable were exported abroad through air corridors and the process continued.

After listening to their views, President Ghani said the government had launched fundamental work to find international markets for Afghanistan fruits and vegetables. “Further investment is required to improve production, processing and packaging.”

The president said Afghanistan exports would not improve until the production and packaging met international standards.

Ghani said during the past two years the Afghan government due to its continued efforts was able to find new international markets for domestic products.