Afghanistan onion import resumes, will help curb price surge

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 8

The bilateral trade between Afghanistan and India is inching towards its normal pace after the change of regime.

After dry fruit, the consignments of onion, which is widely used in cooking in India, have started arriving from Afghanistan. A couple of Afghan trucks laden with onions reached the Integrated Check Post (ICP), Attari. It is learnt in the absence of bank transactions in Afghanistan, the trade had been resumed on ‘goodwill’ by both sides. With the Taliban militia taking over the reins, the Indian and Afghan traders were a worried lot as they were expecting disruption in the bilateral business.

Talibanis had earlier sealed Afghanistan’s Torkham and Chaman borders with Pakistan, the only two land routes used for trade activities between India and Afghanistan.

The ICP, Attari, which facilitates India’s trade with Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been receiving goods only from Afghanistan since New Delhi abrogated Article 370 in August 2019.

Indian traders import dry fruit, onions and apples from Afghanistan. There has been a bumper crop of onion in Afghanistan. Red onions brought from Afghanistan’s Balkh and Ghazni through the ICP are being supplied to Tamil Nadu, Andhra, MP, Maharashtra, Bihar, Delhi, HP, Punjab and J&K. It takes about two weeks for a consignment to reach India.

Jatinder Khurana, a leading importer and exporter of fruit and vegetables, said at least 25 trucks carrying onions were on way to India.

“Of course, it will mellow down the prices of onions in India. The landed cost of onions from Afghanistan is Rs 25-26 per kg and the retail price of the local crop from Nasik is priced at Rs 40-45 per kg,” he said.