The closure of the Attari-Wagah border, one of Afghanistan’s key export routes to India, has created serious concerns for exporters for the past six months. They say this situation has caused a 60 percent reduction in Afghanistan’s exports to India. Exporters emphasize that the closure of this border has not only led to the loss of some of their business contracts, but has also forced them to use alternative and costly routes. They are asking the Taliban to enter into negotiations with the embassies of Pakistan and India to reopen this trade route.
Some of these exporters, in conversation with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, have called for reducing the costs of Chabahar, Milk, and Dogharoun ports for dried fruit exporters and emphasized that using air corridors is not cost-effective for many exporters due to their high costs.
Gholam Yahya Meshkwani, one of the dried fruit exporters, says that the closure of the Attari-Wagah border has caused serious losses to them. He adds that currently, air corridors and Chabahar port are being used to transport dried fruits, but these routes come with heavy costs and long time periods. He considers the non-issuance of visas and the lack of access to European markets as major problems for merchants.
He adds: “The closure of Wagah port has caused more than a 60 percent reduction in exports to India. This severe reduction has caused extensive losses to merchants and has created major challenges for traders. Air corridors are very costly, but in urgent situations, we are forced to use them.”
Gada Muhammad Kohdamani, another exporter, emphasizes the immediate reopening of Wagah port for Afghanistan’s exports. He says that while Pakistan’s export items are easily exported to various countries, Afghanistan’s export items to Pakistan face numerous challenges.
Mr. Kohdamani asks the Taliban to reach an understanding with India and Pakistan as soon as possible to increase the country’s exports. He adds, “We ask officials to solve our problem and reach an understanding with Pakistan as soon as possible. When Pakistan’s commercial goods go through Afghanistan to Uzbekistan, Russia, and Tajikistan, our agricultural products should also be exported. Now all gates are closed to u, the US, and only Torkham is open, but we have many problems along the route. In 24 hours, not even 4 hours are given to fruits and vegetables. Coal fuel is exported daily by more than 200 trucks, but some trucks return empty, and our traders remain stranded at the border for two to three days.”
Masoud Safi, head of the dried fruit export administration, says that the closure of Wagah port results in losses for Afghanistan’s farmers and fruit exporters, and delays in reopening this route will bring further damage. He asks the Taliban to take action as soon as possible through diplomatic negotiations to reopen this port.
Mr. Safi adds, “If the closure of Wagah port continues, its damage will affect our farmers and exporters. Although most of our exports are conducted through the Torkham route and visas have been issued for about 100 freight trucks so far, Wagah port is vital for faster access to the Indian market and must be reopened as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, the Union of Dried Fruit Exporters says they have repeatedly negotiated with the embassies of India and Pakistan about reopening Wagah port, but both sides make excuses, and permits for Afghanistan’s exports are not issued.
This union adds that although the country’s exports continue through Abbas and Chabahar ports, this route is also not without challenges.
Khaled Rahmani, spokesperson of the union chamber, says: “With the closure of the Attari-Wagah border, it has been six months since Afghanistan’s trade in the fresh and dried fruit sectors has faced enormous losses. When we approach the Pakistani embassy, they tell us we must first get permission from the Indian embassy. This is while Pakistan has no problem with Afghanistan’s exports, and neither does India.”
This union considers the failure to export more than 20 to 25 tons of fruit through Chabahar and Abbas ports as one of the major challenges for exporters. This organization asks all regional countries to keep trade separate from politics and help facilitate trade.
Meanwhile, several economic experts say that the closure of Wagah port was completely predictable and Afghanistan should have prepared alternative routes beforehand. They say that Afghanistan’s trade, due to being traditional and market similarity with Pakistan, is dependent on this country.
Qais Mohammadi, an economic expert, says: “Afghanistan must activate air corridors with countries it trades with. Also, new markets for Afghanistan’s dried fruits should be identified, especially neighboring countries that can be good markets for this product.”
Abdul Nasir Rashtia, an expert on economic issues, adds: “For us to emerge from isolation and reduce dependence on one route, we must first take fundamental measures within the country. Afghanistan’s most important export items are agricultural, and to compete in global markets, we need standard cold storage facilities, proper packaging, and standardization of our goods. Also, we must strengthen our strategic economic relations with the outside world and connect to new markets through connections to countries’ railway networks.”
The Attari-Wagah border was blocked after tensions escalated between India and Pakistan due to the killing of tourists in the Kashmir region under Indian control; however, this issue continues to cast a shadow over Afghanistan’s regional trade.
Afghanistan annually conducts exports worth nearly $1.5 billion to India and Pakistan, but due to political challenges created between these two countries, Afghanistan is on the verge of losing the most prosperous markets for selling its products. According to statistics, Afghanistan had commercial exchanges worth $3.246 billion with these two countries in the past year alone.
Previously, India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry had announced that the volume of trade with Afghanistan had reached $1.078 billion during this period. Afghanistan mostly exported dried fruits, carpets, saffron, and medicinal plants to India and, in return, imported medicines, medical equipment, and construction materials.
Recently, local sources have told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the Torkham border has also been blocked to all traffic due to heavy rainfall and flooding.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
بستهماندن بندر واگه؛ صادرات افغانستان به هند کاهش ۶۰ درصدی را تجربه میکند
