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Times of Central Asia (7 November 2018)

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani inaugurated Afghanistan-China air cargo corridor on November 6, which will hopefully generate millions of dollars in revenue for Afghanistan a year, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported.

The Presidential Palace said in a statement that the new air corridor will be used to export between $700 million and $800 million worth of Afghanistan’s pine nuts to China annually.

During the inauguration Ghani said that pine nuts, pistachio nuts and cumin are hidden treasures of Afghanistan, and government is committed to bringing out its full potential via trade corridors.

He also added that farmers are determined to protect pine nut trees and work to increase their productivity.

The statement further said that 20 tons of pine nuts per day will be exported to China until the end of the season this year.

Afghanistan’s total pine nuts output is 23,000 metric tons a year, and China is the major importer of the product.

The president said local unions will be set up to pave the ground for loans in provinces.

Pine nut trees are mostly found in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, Nuristan, Kunar, Paktia, Khost and Paktika provinces. Pine nuts also constitute one of the major income sources for local people in these areas.

Afghanistan is known throughout the world for its fresh and dry fruits. But years of war and violence have hindered the country for taking full advantage of what its land and natural resources offer.

https://www.timesca.com/index.php/news/20461-afghanistan-inaugurates-air-corridor-to-china