Taliban crisis leads to spike in dry fruits prices

AMRITSAR: With the Taliban sealing land border trade routes resulting in a halt of import-export trade with India, prices of dry fruits have gone up by 15-20% here that is likely to shoot up more in the wake of the ensuing festive and winter season if the trade doesn’t commence soon.
However, importers here are of the view that suspension of trade was a temporary phase and the import-export will resume in next few days time.
While talking to TOI on Thursday B K Bajaj, president of Indo Foreign Chamber of Commerce (IFCC). said, “The suspension of import and export between India and Afghanistan is a temporary thing and the trade will resume within next week or 10 days.”
The increase in prices of dry fruits was expected under such circumstances that was a normal practice, he reasoned, adding that dry fruits were a luxury items and not essential commodities.
The annual import-export trade between the two countries was $1.3 billion that included $80 million of export to Afghanistan while $500 million trade was held through Integrated Check Post (ICP), Attari, said the IFCC president.
Echoing similar sentiments, Anil Mehra, president of Federation of Karyana and Dry Fruit Commercial Association, said, “This is a temporary phase. The new crop is lying in Afghanistan and it’s a perishable item, they have to export it.”
He added that for now the Taliban were in process of forming their government and in much likelihood, they could impose some taxes that would be revealed soon.
When asked about the rise in dry fruit price, he said a few businessmen might have increased their stock price by 15-20%, but the stock was very limited and wouldn’t last long.
On August 16 , eight truckload of goods including dry fruits, grapes and mulethi had arrived at ICP Attari from Afghanistan. “In my opinion, the goods will start arriving from Afghanistan in a few days time,” said Mehra.