Afghan, Iranian Business Leaders Push for Stronger Agricultural Ties
A joint meeting between the Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock Production and the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce was held in Kabul.
The Chairman of the Board of the Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock Production emphasized the need for the swift completion of the second bridge at the Milak border crossing in Nimroz, expanding opportunities for exports of fresh fruits and other Afghan agricultural products to Iran, and increasing coordination between the two countries in trade and commerce.
Khan Mohammad Frotan, Chairman of the Board of the Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock Production, said: “Our request is that products which the Islamic Republic of Iran currently imports from countries such as Brazil, Argentina, or Pakistan should instead be imported from Afghanistan. This would have several benefits, including improving the trade balance between the two countries.”
The Iranian delegation also stated that Iran is ready to expand technical cooperation with Afghanistan to improve agricultural productivity.
The delegation stressed that significant opportunities exist for expanding cooperation between Afghanistan and Iran, particularly in the export of agricultural products.
Mahmoud Seyadat, Chairman of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, said: “Our view is that you should increase production of the products we need. We require animal feed and oilseeds, and whatever you produce, we are ready to buy. In addition, seek technical knowledge and machinery from us so that agricultural yields in Afghanistan can increase.”
Meanwhile, a number of traders pointed to challenges at ports and commercial border crossings with Iran and called for joint efforts to address these issues.
Abdul Rahim Sediqi, Deputy for Technical and Professional Affairs at the Afghanistan Chamber of Agriculture and Livestock Production, said: “Shipping companies that transport our goods from Chabahar Port to India are imposing excessive charges on us. If this continues, our exports through this port will face difficulties. We urge the authorities on both sides to address this challenge.”
The Iranian private-sector delegation, headed by the Chairman of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and accompanied by several Iranian business figures, arrived in Afghanistan on June 11.
The visit is aimed at expanding cooperation in the field of trade and commerce.
