Amritsar: With the trading route of the Taliban sealing land border which resulted in termination of export-import trade with India, the price of dried fruits has risen 15-20% here which will likely shoot more after festions and winter if the trade does not begin.
However, the importers here are the view that the suspension of trade is a temporary phase and import exports will continue in the next few days.
When talking to TOI on Thursday B Bajaj, President of the Indo Foreign Chamber (IFCC).
said, “The suspension of import and export between India and Afghanistan is a temporary thing and trade will be continued in the next week or 10 days.” The increase in dried fruit prices is expected to be in such a state of normal practice, it is reasonable, adding that dried fruits are luxury items and not important commodities.
Annual export-import trade between the two countries is $ 1.3 billion, which includes $ 80 million in exports to Afghanistan while the $ 500 million trade is held by an integrated checkpoint (ICP), said the IFCC President.
Echoing similar sentiments, Anil Mehra, President of the Federation of Karyana and the Commercial Association of Dried Fruit, said, “This is a temporary phase.
The new plants lie in Afghanistan and it is an easy-to-damaged item, they have to export it.” He added that for now the medium Taliban In the process of forming their government and with most likely, they can impose some taxes that will be expressed immediately.
When asked about the increase in dried fruit prices, he said some entrepreneurs might have increased their share price of 15-20%, but the stock was very limited and would not last long.
On August 16, eight trucks of goods including dried fruits, wine and mulethi had arrived at ICP Attari from Afghanistan.
“In my opinion, items will begin to arrive from Afghanistan within a few days,” Mehra said.