Taliban rule leads to lower price of Afghan fruits in Pakistan

Kandahari pomegranates, once sold for up to Rs300 per kilo in Peshawar, are now available for less than a dollar

PESHAWAR:

Kandahari pomegranates, a rare adornment of Pakistani markets, have begun to be sold for less than a dollar per kilogramme in Peshawar.

The price of the fruit – imported from Afghanistan – is many times lower than it was in the previous years.

In the past, the same pomegranates used to be sold for Rs200 to Rs300 per kg in the Pakistani markets.

According to Afghan traders, before the Taliban takeover, most fruits – including grapes, apples and pomegranates – used to be dispatched to India at a higher rate with less tax, but now, with the closure of air service and termination of trade with India, fruits are being dispatched to Pakistan.

Mansoor, a long-time staff member at the Peshawar fruit market, said Kandahari pomegranates have been coming to Pakistan uninterruptedly this year.

According to him, the best quality pomegranate is available in the market at Rs120 to Rs130 per kilogramme, while the second-grade pomegranate could be found at Rs100 per kg, which is easily sold at Rs120 per kilo in the retail market.

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Luqman, a fruit trader who trades with Afghanistan and Pakistan on the Torkham border, told The Express Tribune that although the benefits to Afghan farmers remain low, hundreds of fruit trailers from Kandahar to Kabul and then from Kabul to Torkham reach Pakistan on a weekly basis.

As a result, the prices of fruits from Afghanistan are slightly lower in Pakistan's fruit markets, he added.

The trader further said, "Except for a few days since the Taliban government came into power, commercial trucks from Afghanistan had been plying the border. Delivery from Afghan transit trade is also ongoing at Torkham border."

Another shopkeeper, who has been trading fruit near Haji Camp in Peshawar for the last 25 years, told Express News that it is a fact that the prices of pomegranates have come down many times this year, which has led to the higher sale of the fruit in the market.

Kandahari pomegranate is being sold at Rs150 per kg, something rare in any other shop before.

In addition, he added, grapes from Afghanistan were cheaper this year. Sundar Khani is the best kind of grape. It was available in big stores in Peshawar for Rs180 to Rs200 per kilo, while Badana grapes, which are used for recovery of the sick, also came in greater numbers this year, and its price was much lower compared to previous years. At present, it is available for Rs500 per kg.

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Faiz Mohammad, a well-known businessman and president of erstwhile NWFP Chamber of Commerce and Industry who trades with Afghanistan, said the grape and pomegranate crop in Afghanistan has increased this year, making the price of the latter in the border areas quite satisfactory.

The main reason for the fall in the prices and improvement in the trade is the reduction of 15 per cent in sales tax on the fruits by the government, which is increasing trade.

"People here have been able to benefit greatly from this initiative," he remarked.

Faiz further said along with Afghanistan, Pakistan has an annual export of Rs2 billion while an import of Rs600 million.

"If the duty is reduced, it can greatly increase our trade, benefitting both the countries," he added.

According to the businessman, the Chaman border was also closed for four months due to which Afghan traders sent most of the fruits through Torkham, which decreased the prices of fruits in most markets of the country including Peshawar, Torkham, Khyber and other areas which is a good thing commercially.