Afghanistan’s Dried Fruit Prices in India Rise by up to 20%

The closure of the Atari-Wagah border has caused a 20% rise in dried fruit prices from Afghanistan in India.

Indian media reports indicate that the closure of the “Attari-Wagah” border crossing, due to recent tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, has significantly impacted the dry fruit market in India.

Following the closure of the Attari-Wagah border, which is the main route for Afghanistan exports, particularly dry fruits to India, prices for dry fruits in Indian markets have surged by up to 20%. Economic Times has reported that India heavily relies on this land route to meet a major portion of its dry fruit and spice needs.

India imports around 90% of its dried figs and hing (asafoetida), 50% of its saffron and dried apricots, and a substantial quantity of pistachios from Afghanistan. The closure of the Attari-Wagah border has disrupted the supply chain of these agricultural products, especially dry fruits, which are a significant part of Afghanistan exports.

The border, located near Amritsar in Punjab, India, has long served as a key transit point for goods from Afghanistan to India through Pakistan. The closure has led to reduced dry fruit inventories in major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, adding pressure on prices as demand increases ahead of the festival season.

Reports suggest that the prices of pistachios, dried figs, dried apricots, and saffron in wholesale markets have increased by 15 to 20%. A dry fruit trader in Delhi stated that the closure has forced them to either rely on expensive air transport or wait for the situation to improve, both of which will lead to higher costs.

The Attari-Wagah border closure follows retaliatory actions by India against Pakistan after a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22. These actions included the closure of the border crossing, which has not only disrupted India-Pakistan trade but also Afghanistan exports to India.

The closure has effectively halted land trade between the three countries. Furthermore, the closure has placed additional strain on Afghanistan’s fragile economy, which heavily depends on dry fruit and spice exports to India.

India is one of Afghanistan’s largest export markets, and the suspension of this land trade has posed serious challenges for Afghan farmers and traders. Some Indian sources report that officials are considering alternative routes, such as the Chabahar Port in Iran, to resume imports from Afghanistan. However, these alternatives are not a complete replacement for the Attari-Wagah border in the short term due to higher costs and limited infrastructure.

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