Afghan government has offered supply of more agriculture products to Pakistan other than tomato and onion under the same condition of removing custom tariffs.
In an official communication sent on Saturday by Afghan Ministry of Industry and Trade with relevant authorities in Pakistan, it was conveyed that Afghanistan has registered increase in agriculture products this year and if this produce is not exported, it would go to waste. “Since Pakistan has already decided import of tomato and onion from Afghanistan by removing custom tariff and in this situation when we have increased agriculture produce, it is therefore request to import more products under the same conditions,” reads the letter. The Afghan Ministry of Trade and Communication added, its businessmen have been asked to continue their export keeping in mind the good prices. Reacting to the offer, patron in chief Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Importers and Exporters Association (PFVA), Waheed Ahmad welcomed the announcement and said that Pakistan was faced with enormous losses to life, property and crops due to devastating flooding and in this situation, if our brotherly neighbor country is making an offer of supplying agriculture produce, it would be highly welcomed by the Association. He also expressed the hope that supply of vegetable including tomato and onion would continue till the announcement of waiver of duties time by Pakistani government. Meanwhile, Vice President Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi also hailed the announcement by Afghanistan government. Talking to APP, Zia Sarhadi said within a couple of days of decision taken by government of importing tomato and onion from Afghanistan and Iran, the prices of these two products which shot up abnormally due to flooding has shown a reduction of around 50 percent.