Afghan businessman eyes more pine nut export to China

KHOST, Afghanistan, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Afghan businessman Afsar Ali Khan is looking forward to exporting up to 3,500 tons of pine nuts to China. He hopes to increase the volume of trade of the precious seeds to the neighboring country.

"The pine nut harvest in Khost and the neighboring Paktia province has been doubled in comparison with the previous year and I am hopeful to be able to export as much as 3,500 tons of pine to China via air corridor this year," Khan told Xinhua.

Describing China as a lucrative market for Afghanistan's pine nuts, the businessman said that 2,500 tons of pine nuts were exported to China last year and each 52 kg of pine nuts sold more than 400,000 afghani (6,000 U.S. dollars) in the neighboring country.

Afghanistan's pine nuts are largely exported to China, followed by Arab countries, India, Pakistan, Canada, and some European nations.