KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Afghanistan’s exports fell by 17.35% in the first six months of the current solar year compared with the same period last year, while imports increased, according to Taliban figures, as border closures between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to disrupt trade.
Afghanistan exported goods worth $598.5 million during the first six months of 1405, down from $724.2 million in the corresponding period of 1404, a decline of $125.7 million, the Taliban-controlled National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) announced on Tuesday.
Fresh and dried fruits accounted for the largest share of exports, valued at $223.5 million. Medicinal plants ranked second at $136.9 million, followed by minerals at $32.1 million and agricultural seeds at $12.5 million. Agricultural products and medicinal plants remained among the country’s main export commodities.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s imports increased during the reporting period. The country imported goods worth $6.66 billion in the first six months of 1405, compared with $6.54 billion in the same period last year, an increase of $116.3 million, according to the NSIA.
Petroleum products and oils accounted for the largest share of imports, valued at $1.399 billion. Machinery, transport vehicles and spare parts ranked second at $765 million, followed by metals and metal products at $691.3 million.
Wheat and wheat flour imports reached $554 million, while vegetable oil accounted for another $240.8 million, the figures showed.
The figures indicate a substantial imbalance in the country’s trade, with imports exceeding exports by about $6.06 billion during the first six months of 1405.
Pakistan’s border crossings have traditionally served as major trade routes for Afghanistan’s imports and exports. However, key crossings have remained closed since last year amid tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban authorities, disrupting trade not only between the two neighbors but also Afghanistan’s access to regional and international markets.
The border closures have complicated the movement of goods and affected Afghan traders who rely on Pakistani routes to access markets and transport exports. Afghanistan has also increasingly turned to alternative trading partners and supply routes, including Iran and Central Asian countries, to obtain goods previously imported through Pakistan.
