Ready to export 40 tonnes of fruits every week: Kandahar traders

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): The Kandahar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) says it is ready to export 40 tonnes of fresh and dried fruits via the Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport.

Four days ago, Civil Aviation Authority Director Mohammad Qasim Wafaizada visited Kandahar and vowed at a meeting with the governor that fresh and dried fruit exports through the air-corridor would resume soon.

Haji Nasrullah Zaheer, the Kandahar Chamber of Commerce head, hailed the CAA chief announcement as good news for gardeners and fruits traders. He hoped flights would resume soon.

Unaware of the reason for the delay in fruit export flights, Zaheer said they had worked hard over the past two years to reopen the Afghanistan-India corridor.

He recalled at the beginning of the current solar year, he had informed the central government that fresh and dried fruits merchants were ready to export through the air corridor but had not received any response.

Zaheer added the total export of fresh and dried fruits from Kandahar during the year was 2,000 tonnes, which needed the opening of the air-corridor and roads.

Kandahar Governor Roohullah Khanzada met traders at the chamber of commerce office a few days ago and assured them flights would resume and they should be ready.

Zaheer said Kandahar businessmen were prepared to export up to 40 tonnes of fresh and dried fruit every week.

Eng. Abdul Baqi Bina, deputy head of the chamber, called Kandahar fruits unique in their nature and taste — demanded in many parts of the world.

But the problem was lack of secure roads, with the result that exporters could not transport their fruits through air and land routes.

He described the opening of land routes between Afghanistan some regional countries as an important development.

Bina commented the opening of such routes should not be in name only. He called for the implementation of agreements on concessions, facilities and safety.

He explained about 200 trucks of fresh and dried fruits had been exported by the Afghans via the Chabahar port in Iran this year.

But Afghans were still facing difficulties in exporting their products through this port, he said, urging the authorities concerned to address the problems of traders on priority.

sa/mud

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