The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has reported a 32% decrease in Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan for the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year.
From January to the end of May, trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan totaled $937 million, with Afghanistan’s exports accounting for $294 million.
During this period, Afghanistan exported $91 million worth of cotton, $38 million in coal, $16 million in mung beans, $13 million in onions and various other items to Pakistan.
Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said: “In the first five months of 2024, trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan was about $937 million, of which $294 million were exports and $643 million were imports. Most of our exports to Pakistan include cotton, coal, mung beans, onions, raisins, and tobacco, while most of our imports consist of rice, medicine, cement, and fruit.”
At the same time, Pakistani officials also reported a significant decrease in Afghanistan’s coal exports through the Torkham crossing. According to some Pakistani media reports, Afghanistan’s coal exports have declined due to increased export tariffs imposed by the interim Afghan government.
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce and Investment has stated that efforts are being made to increase coal exports to Pakistan.
Mohammad Yunus Mohmand, First Deputy of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said: “We are currently working to discuss with the respected officials of the Ministry of Finance and Customs on how we can increase our coal exports to Pakistan and other countries.”
Some traders have expressed challenges in trading with Pakistan, stressing the importance of Pakistan adhering to international trade laws with Afghanistan.
Omid Haidari, a trader, said: “For the growth of trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the development of agriculture, and the strengthening of both exports and imports, especially transit, as Central Asia needs to trade through Afghanistan to South Asian countries, we see the need for Pakistan to first implement the agreements.”
Statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce show that in the first five months of 2023, trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan was valued at $985 million, with approximately $435 million being Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan.