The first shipment of pomegranates from Kandahar was exported to Russia on Monday, with 25 metric tons dispatched through the Torghundi border crossing in northwestern Afghanistan, the Taliban-run agriculture ministry said.
The initiative aims to establish a long-term commercial relationship with Russian importers, the ministry added.
According to the ministry, The pilot shipment, valued at approximately $25,000, will be used to assess demand and logistics feasibility in the Russian market. It added that if the initial phase proves successful, up to 250 tons of Kandahar pomegranates will be exported to Russia by the end of the harvest season.
“This is the first time our pomegranates are reaching Russian consumers,” said a Taliban spokesperson for the Kandahar Agriculture Department. “It’s a major step in diversifying Afghanistan’s fruit exports and opening new trade corridors.”
Pomegranates from southern Afghanistan, especially Kandahar, are renowned for their quality and flavor.
