[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In an interesting development indicating growing India-Afghanistan ties, Afghan traders have succeeded in signing $68 million worth of deals for high-value agricultural products: like pomegranates, saffron, apples, apricots, melons, grapes, nuts, and cherries, during their participation at a recent trade mission in New Delhi.<\/p>\n
According to Kabul based TOLO News, The USAID Commercial Horticultural Agricultural Marketing Program (CHAMP), implemented by Roots of Peace, facilitated the trade event titled \u201cMade in Afghanistan: Nature’s Best\u201d on July 13 and 14.<\/p>\n
Afghanistan\u2019s Ambassador to India Dr. Shaida Mohammad Abdali, while addressing at the inauguration of the event on July 13, said that two countries have set a trade target of two billion USD by 2020. He said that level of trade between the two countries has increased to almost $ 900 million.<\/p>\n
Read More: India succeeds hurting Pakistan\u2019s trade interest in Afghanistan<\/a><\/p>\n Abdali stated that his country was heading towards a better position as long as connectivity was concerned and that it was no longer a land locked country. He said that the opening of the Iranian Chabahar port by 2022 will further help trade grow.<\/p>\n He was quoted saying \u201cWe want borders to be opened up between India-Pakistan-Afghanistan and the rest of the region. We\u2019re trading with India through Pakistan but it isn\u2019t as smooth as desired. We hope Afghanistan\u2019s connectivity is improved desirably for rest of\u00a0 the region\u201d.<\/p>\n FICCI played important role in organising the trade event.[\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[\/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]A total of 49 Afghan exporters exhibited and over 800 Indian buyers had the opportunity to learn about Afghanistan\u2019s modern agricultural practices and products.<\/p>\n Last year, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani provided air cargo incentives that led to the first direct air shipments of Afghan produce to New Delhi and Mumbai.<\/p>\n