(MENAFN- Daily Outlook Afghanistan) KABUL -The Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) haspredicted pine nuts production to reach up to 24,000 tons this year, whichindicates a 10 percent increase from last year's productions.
Plantinghundreds and thousands of pine nuts saplings, the government is making efforts to expand production of the crop
Afghanistan'spine nuts are mostly exported to China and UAE.
Most ofthe pine nuts are shipped to Pakistan for processing; however, local firms aredeveloping the capacity to meet the international standards in processing andpackaging pine nuts.
InFebruary of this year, an Afghan businessman invested $5 million to make a facility for processingpine nuts locally.
Accordingto MAIL officials, about 1,700 tons of pine nuts have met internationalstandards and were exported to China, the Gulf and Europe over the past fewyears. The amount is expected to increase this year.
Theprice of Afghan pine nuts rose sharply in local markets following inauguration of the air corridor betweenAfghanistan and China.
A singlekilogram of pine nuts in local markets is up to 2,800 Afghanis ($35), comparedto 1,500 Afghanis a few months before the opening of the air corridor.
Theoverall prices of Afghan black pine nuts is estimated at $2 billion annually.
Pine nuttrees are mostly found in Afghanistan's eastern provinces of Nangarhar,Laghman, Nuristan, Kunar, Paktia, Khost and Paktika provinces. (Wadsam)
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