Afghanistan’s General Directorate of Statistics and Information, operating under the Taliban administration, says the country’s export value fell by $125.7 million in the first six months of the current solar year compared with the same period last year, while imports increased by $116.3 million.
According to figures released by the directorate, Afghanistan’s exports totalled $598.5 million in the first six months of the current year, down from $724.2 million during the corresponding period last year.
The report also shows that Afghanistan’s imports reached $6.6566 billion during the same period, compared with $6.5403 billion in the first six months of last year.
Dried and fresh fruits were among Afghanistan’s leading export commodities, with exports valued at $223.5 million. Medicinal plants accounted for $136.9 million, mineral products for $32.1 million, and agricultural seeds for $12.5 million.
According to the General Directorate of Statistics and Information, dried and fresh fruits accounted for 37.3 per cent of Afghanistan’s total exports, while medicinal plants represented 22.9 per cent.
On the import side, petroleum products and oils were the country’s largest import category, valued at $1.399 billion. Imports of machinery, transport vehicles and spare parts were valued at $765 million, while metals and metal products accounted for $691.3 million. Wheat and flour imports reached $554 million, and vegetable oil imports totalled $240.8 million.
The figures come amid the closure of transit routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which has affected trade between the two countries. According to published reports, bilateral trade has declined by 74 per cent, falling from $1.3 billion to $358 million.
Although the Taliban say they have redirected Afghanistan’s trade routes towards Iran and Central Asian countries, the decline in export value indicates that the country’s exports fell during the first six months of the current year compared with the same period last year.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
