More than 200 trucks carrying tomatoes, onions, grapes and apples blocked at Torkham crossing, disrupting 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, disrupting trade with South Asian markets.
According to the Dried Fruit Exporters Union, shipments of fresh fruit have virtually ceased, although limited quantities of dried fruit continue to be flown in. “It is now apple season, and the only close and convenient route to sell fruit has been lost,” a spokesperson said.
Traders estimate that the country’s fresh fruit exports have fallen by 60 to 70 percent since the lockdown began almost six months ago. With land routes blocked, exporters say air transport has become the only option to ship their products. But the high cost of air freight and low demand for expensive transportation make this alternative financially unviable for many.
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An exporter said his tomatoes were sent back to Jalalabad after being held for two days at the border. Not having access to the main markets, he was forced to sell them at low prices to avoid their deterioration, thus worsening the 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 to India and Pakistan, limited reopenings at the Kharlachi and Ghulam Khan crossings allowed brief coal shipments before exports of fresh produce were suspended again.
The situation is further aggravated by the loss of access to Iran’s ports of Chabahar and Bandar Abbas, where international sanctions have reduced 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 investment 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 commodity trade corridor threatens a crucial source of income for Afghan farmers and export-oriented businesses. Without rapid action, the fresh produce sector faces a prolonged downturn, with widespread consequences for employment, agricultural investment and regional trade connectivity.
