Herat Sees 130% Surge in Dried Fruit Exports, Reaching 14,000 Tonnes
Herat’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment has announced a significant rise in dried fruit exports from the province over the past six months, marking a jump of more than 130 percent compared to the same period last year. Exports have reached approximately 14,000 tonnes, with an estimated value of nearly $40 million. During the same period last year, only 8,000 tonnes of dried fruit, worth $16.5 million, were exported.
Mohammad Younus Qazizadah, head of the Chamber, said that countries including Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, India, Europe, and the United States are among the key markets for Afghan dried fruits. He noted that access to these markets has played a crucial role in the sharp increase in exports.
Meanwhile, Herat’s Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock has also reported growing international interest in Afghanistan’s dried fruit. Omid Teymori, the chamber’s CEO, highlighted the purity and high quality of the country’s agricultural products as the main factors attracting foreign buyers. He expressed optimism that exports could multiply further as these markets expand.
However, challenges remain. The lack of effective support from the Taliban administration, inadequate infrastructure, and ongoing banking and transit restrictions pose major obstacles for Afghan exporters and could hinder the continued growth of exports.
Mohsen Najafizadeh, a trader active in the export sector, emphasized the superior quality of Herat’s dried fruits compared to other provinces. This quality advantage, he said, has helped Herat’s products gain a strong foothold in global markets.
According to statistics from Herat’s Department of Agriculture and Livestock, at least 15 types of dried fruits — including pistachios, almonds, raisins, walnuts, dried figs, pine nuts, and other products — are produced in the province. A significant portion of these goods are exported globally. However, the lack of targeted and supportive policymaking under Taliban governance has put the potential of the export industry at risk.
