Afghanistan’s exports up by 40pc

KABUL’s exports increased by 40 percent in the first quarter of 2013, compared to the corresponding period last year, a senior trader representative said.

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) chief executive Qurban Haqjo said exports during the same period last year stood at $64 million, but registered an increase of $100 million in 2013.

He listed carpets, dried and fresh fruits, herbal medicine, dairy products, grain and some other items as Afghanistan main exports being taken to Pakistan, India, China, Central Asian, Iran, Russia, Europe, Canada, Australia and some Gulf states.

Haqjo linked the increase to fewer incidents of natural disasters, increase in the production of fresh fruits and improvement in transits trade affairs with neighbouring countries during the current year.

However, he said problems concerning transit trade with neighboring countries continued to pose a key challenge to Afghanistan’s exports and imports.

He lamented the country still lacked processing facilities for dried and fresh fruits, they produced low quality products; particularly carpets and also continued to grapple with shortage of quality processing laboratories and cold storages.

In 2012, he recalled the value of Afghanistan’s exports was $415 million, but this might be higher than recorded because exporters did not reveal exact figures for exported items.

He said if actual figures were disclosed, exports could be worth $1billion per year.

He said exporters used to avoid providing actual figures due to competition and attempts at evading taxes.

He said exporters paid the government 20 percent from their gross revenue on annual basis in form of taxes.

He asked the Finance Ministry to write off such huge taxes on exports for the sake of economic stability. 

mrh/ma

Visits: 2