Some govt organs create problems for traders: ACCI

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) members say some figures in government organs create problems for traders, which complicates ACCI activities.

Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, ACCI chief, made the complaint during the opening ceremony of a three-day exhibition of industry, agriculture and banking in capital Kabul on Monday.

He said the security situation has deteriorated in the country but they still tried to facilitate an exhibition.

“We opened this exhibition and people’s participation gave us a lot of hope,” he added.

However, he said that some government organs created problems for traders, an issue that also complicates ACCI performance.

Only the private sector can reduce joblessness in the country, therefore the sector should be cooperated with, he added.

Abdul Hadi Farhang, head of Afghanistan Traders Union, said that besides other organizations, the Ministry of Finance also forced traders to pay bribes.

“Commercial goods produced in Afghanistan and sold with foreign trademarks is another problem the government should respond to”, he added.

Agriculture minister, Anwarul Haq Ahadi, said that Afghanistan had almost reached the level to produce products of international standard.

“We lacked these standards in the past, but we are now about to reach that milestone and I am hopeful we will achieve it faster,” he said.

Ahadi added that pine nuts of Afghanistan, which were sold as Pakistani product in the past, were now offered to foreign markets with Afghanistan trademark.

Two weeks back, a major pine nut processing factory was opened in Paktia province.

Mds/ma