To bypass Pakistan, Afghanistan looking at Basmati exports from India
New Delhi, July 5: Amidst its worsening relations with Pakistan, Afghanistan is looking at the possibility of importing Basmati rice directly from India, which is a major producer of this type of food grain.
Basmati traders of India and Afghanistan are likely to meet soon to discuss the possibility.
Afghanistan, which consumes around 500,000 tonnes of Basmati rice annually, has traditionally relied upon Pakistan for the imports.
However, in view of the repeated hostile actions by Pakistan, the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan has stopped trade with it as bilateral relations have turned animostic.
Afghanistan has not only stopped both exports and imports with Pakistan and is looking for other markets for exports and sources of imports.
In this regard, representatives of Afghanistan’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi reportedly have held preliminary discussions with the persons concerned to explore the possibility of importing Indian Basmati rice directly and at a higher scale.
At present, some Indian rice reaches Afghanistan indirectly through traders in Iran and Dubai, a route that adds to transportation and transaction costs.
But, now ways are being explored to transport rice from India to the landlocked Afghanistan through Iran’s Bandar Abbas Port, bypassing traders of Iran and UAE.
The traders of India and Afghanistan are expected to discuss aspects like logistics and payment mechanisms.
The possibility of barter trade is also being explored, as Afghanistan’s dry fruits have a good market in India.
Pakistan has been repeatedly violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty by carrying out cross-border airstrikes over the last few years, prompting the Taliban rulers to declare that trade relations with it would be ended.
On the other hand, the Taliban regime has been improving relations with India. Its Foreign Minister Mawlawai Muttaqi visited India a few months back and received a very warm welcome.
(BVI)
