More than 200 trucks carrying tomatoes, onions, grapes and apples were stranded at the Torkham crossing, halting trade with South Asia.
Afghanistan’s fresh fruit exporters face mounting losses as the closure of a key land route to Pakistan leaves more than 200 trucks carrying tomatoes, onions, grapes and apples stranded at the Torkham crossing, halting trade with South Asian markets.
According to the Nut Exporters Union, shipments of fresh fruit have virtually stopped, although limited quantities of nuts are still being shipped. “It is now apple season and the only nearby and convenient route to sell fruit has been lost,” a spokesman said.
Traders estimate the country’s fresh fruit exports have plummeted by 60 to 70 percent since the lockdown began nearly six months ago. With land routes blocked, exporters say air freight has become the only option to ship products. But the high cost of air freight and weak demand for expensive shipping is making this alternative financially unsustainable for many.
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One exporter said his tomatoes were sent back to Jalalabad after being held for two days at the border. Without access to major markets, he was forced to sell them at low prices to prevent their deterioration, which compounded financial losses. Repeated trade disruptions have pushed many exporters into debt and to the brink of bankruptcy.
While the Torkham crossing remains closed to Afghan exports bound for India and Pakistan, limited reopenings at the Kharlachi and Ghulam Khan crossings allowed brief shipments of coal before fresh produce exports were suspended again.
The situation is made even worse by the loss of access to the seaports of Chabahar and Bandar Abbas in Iran, where international sanctions have restricted operations, leaving Afghan exporters with few viable trade routes.
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Exporters are urging the Pakistani government to separate trade from politics and resume transit, while calling for investments in Afghanistan’s cold storage, packaging and shipping infrastructure. They note that even a 200-ton capacity cold unit remains unaffordable for most, but such facilities could stabilize markets, create thousands of jobs and protect farmers from future border disruptions.
The shrinking corridor for trade in agricultural products threatens a crucial source of income for Afghan farmers and export-oriented businesses. Without swift action, the fresh produce sector faces a prolonged slowdown, with widespread impacts on employment, agricultural investment and regional trade connectivity.
