India-Afghanistan Trade & Investment Show kicks off in Mumbai

New Delhi, Sept 13 (KNN) The second annual ‘Passage to Prosperity: India-Afghanistan International Trade & Investment Show’ kicked off on Wednesday in Mumbai under the umbrella of United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

More than 50 Afghan agriculture exporters are participating in the Expo to promote their products and sign deals with buyers.

Exporters of Afghanistan have displayed their finest fruits, nuts and saffron for buyers in Maharashtra and other neighboring states not enhance bilateral trade.

The event offers a critical opportunity for Afghan exporters of high-end produce to get a foothold in lucrative overseas markets such as Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh , Goa , Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

“Our agriculture export growth is likely to continue as South Asian economies expand and as Afghanistan’s trade environment continues to improve, said Nasser Ahmad Durrani, Afghanistan Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, who launched the promotion of Afghan Shindolkhani grapes on September 12 in Big Bazar GenNext store in Mumbai in league with Future Group, India’s largest retail chain.

He said that Indian consumers will benefit from the Afghanistan fresh and natural products without any adulteration and use of chemical products as the country is moving forward overcoming all the challenges.

The event in Mumbai underscores the growing economic interconnection between the two countries. Last year, Afghan President Ghani implemented air cargo incentives that led to the first direct air shipments of Afghan produce into the Indian airports of New Delhi and Mumbai.

Afghan produce has long been a favorite of Indian consumers. Afghan apples, grapes, apricots, pomegranates, and raisins continue to be a staple of Indian hospitality. 

With increased capacity of Afghan producers and exporters to deliver the freshest of produce to market, these quality products are once again finding their way onto supermarket shelves

According to the World Bank, more fresh and dried fruits are exported from Afghanistan than any other products. Fruit exports grew at a rate of 208 percent from 2012 to 2015, while nut exports grew at a rate of 73 percent during the same period.