GARDEZ (SW) – A group of Chinese businessmen who came to Afghanistan to procure pine nuts have traveled to Paktia and Khost for the first time to engage with the local traders and farmers.
The officials of the Paktia Chamber of Commerce say that with the arrival of Chinese businessmen in this province, the export of pine nuts to other countries will flourish.
Haseeb Gardizi, head of the Paktia Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a great achievement in terms of exports and our exports will increase. We are satisfied with this work and we are sure that processed pine nuts from Paktia will be exported to other countries as well.”
Meanwhile, Chinese businessmen who have gone to Paktia and Khost to evaluate the quality of the pine nuts, say that they are going to sign a contracts soon.
Jiang, one of the Chinese traders in Paktia, who visited the pine processing factories in this province and Khost, said that the quality of pine in these two provinces is good. He added: “We have come to Paktia and Khost to evaluate the market. The quality of the nuts is good and its seeds are also bigger. We buy peanuts from here and export to China.”
On the other hand, a number of merchants in Paktia said the harvest in this province has decreased by 60%, but according to them, its price has increased compared to the past.
Mehboobullah, a merchant in Paktia, said that in most parts of the country, pine nuts are stored in inappropriate conditions, and because of this, its weight decreases and its taste becomes bitter. “The prices this year has increased by 40 to 50 percent compared to previous years because the market for this product has increased internationally.”
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