KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): The pine nut harvest has increased in the southeastern provinces of Khost, Paktia and Paktika this year, but restrictions on exports to international markets and a lack of processing and packaging facilities have caused difficulties and losses.
Pine nut traders in Khost have called for improved facilities to address these challenges.
Baloch Zadran, an official at the Khost pine nut market, said the harvest across the three provinces had increased significantly compared with last year.
“The difference is that pine nut yields were low in previous years, but it rained this year. Thanks to the rainfall, the harvest has increased. Pine nuts are abundant everywhere and the yield has been very good,” he said.
Khan Wali, a pine nut trader, told Pajhwok Afghan News that demand for Afghan pine nuts was high in international markets and prices were favourable. However, reliance on a single export market had increased traders’ concerns.
Zadran added: “We ask the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to open up routes for us. At present, when we export pine nuts to China, traders there buy them at low prices on their own terms. If routes to other countries in the region are also made easier, our business will progress better.”
Another trader, Qadir Jan, said: “We want the routes to be opened so that pine nuts can also be exported to other regions and countries, bringing us better returns.”
Traders also said the lack of modern processing and packaging facilities was a major obstacle to pine nut exports.
Haider, another trader, told Pajhwok: “If facilities are provided for us to clean the pine nuts, remove the kernels and package them here, the profits will remain in Afghanistan instead of going to another country.”
Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesman for the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), said the exact volume of this year’s pine nut harvest was not yet known, but production was expected to exceed last year’s level.
“ACCI has consistently sought to coordinate with relevant government institutions to expand the country’s exports. As a result of these efforts, Afghan traders and investors exported around 7,500 tonnes of pine nuts from Afghanistan to China, European countries and Arab countries last year. The total value of these exports reached $95 million,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Asif Elias, spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC), told Pajhwok that the ministry’s leadership had held talks with various countries to expand pine nut exports and develop markets. It had also sought to promote the product through national and international exhibitions.
“Pine nuts are among Afghanistan’s valuable and well-known products, and many Afghans are involved in their collection, processing and trade. The MoIC leadership undertakes visits to create better opportunities for exporting the country’s products,” he added.
kk
