Business

Afghanistan exports decline by $32.9 million, Taliban reports

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan’s exports dropped by $32.9 million to $141.1 million in the last month of the year 1402 in the Solar Hijri calendar (Feb. 20 to March 20, 2024), compared to $174 million during the same period the previous year, according to the Taliban’s National Statistics and Information Authority.

The report indicated that the country’s imports also fell from $690.4 million in the same month of the previous year to $789.6 million.

Major export destinations in the reported month included Pakistan, India, and the United Arab Emirates, shifting from China, which was among the top recipients last year alongside Pakistan and India.

Conversely, Afghanistan’s primary import sources were Iran, Pakistan, and China.

The economic downturn has escalated concerns among Afghan citizens about increasing poverty and unemployment. Many report losing purchasing power, struggling to afford even three meals a day.