Indian Traders Seek New Routes for Afghan Dried Fruits Amid Export Challenges

New Delhi, September 8 (Daily Kiran) : Reports from Kabul indicate that Afghan exporters are facing significant challenges in reaching global markets. This is largely due to the closure of land routes, soaring air freight costs, and limited alternative pathways. A group of Indian traders has traveled to Kandahar to purchase dried fruits, aiming to export them to New Delhi via alternative routes.

Farmers in Kandahar have noted that the province’s famous golden raisins, once exported to India, can no longer be shipped through traditional routes. The local variety, known as ‘Abjosh’ raisins, is produced from a specific type of grape called ‘Aita.’ To create these golden raisins, farmers soak the grapes in a special solution and then spread them out on prepared ground for seven days to dry.

Traditionally, Kandahar’s fresh and dried fruits were exported to neighboring Arab and European countries. However, the recent increase in air freight costs has raised concerns among traders in the dried fruit industry. One Indian trader, Anand, shared, “We have been purchasing dried fruits here for three to four days and then sending them to New Delhi through other Asian countries. This is how our trade with Afghanistan operates.”

Government statistics have highlighted that the closure of the Pakistan border and geopolitical conflicts in West Asia are significantly impacting Afghanistan’s global trade. Reports indicate that Afghan traders are now utilizing alternative routes, including the Chabahar port in Iran, rail corridors through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and air freight links to India.

While these options provide some relief, they come with higher costs and geopolitical risks. Despite the closure of routes by Pakistan, India remains one of Afghanistan’s largest trading partners. Trade between the two nations reached $907.85 million in 2025-26.

India primarily imports dried fruits, saffron, and spices from Afghanistan while exporting pharmaceuticals, machinery, and food products. However, the ongoing conflicts in West Asia and rising air freight costs have further complicated the situation for traders.

Before the escalation of the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict and the closure of trade routes along the Durand Line, Islamabad had already imposed restrictions on goods traveling from India to Afghanistan. As a result, trade continued primarily through the Chabahar port and air corridors. Reports citing Pakistan customs data reveal that container traffic increased from approximately 60,500 containers in 2016-2017 to nearly 89,000 by 2020-2021, just before the Taliban regained power.

After the Taliban’s return to power, there was initially an improvement in transit cargo via Pakistan, with container traffic reaching 102,886 in 2022-2023, valued at $6.7 billion. However, this peak was short-lived, with numbers dropping to 42,959 containers valued at $1.36 billion in 2024-2025.

In October 2025, a sharp clash led to the closure of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Customs data indicates that the number of containers decreased to just 11,592 in 2025-26, valued at $367 million. Reports further suggest that Afghanistan’s exports to India and other countries via Pakistan plummeted from $454 million in 2024-2025 to a mere $7 million in 2025-2026.

Tensions continue to shape the landscape of Afghan trade, leaving many traders searching for viable solutions.