Dry fruit importers of Amritsar hail move to resume flights from Afghanistan

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Amritsar, June 14

The Taliban Government’s announcement to resume flights with India was welcomed by city-based dry fruit importers. The holy city has been trading with Afghanistan for centuries.

Even after being taken over by the Taliban, there is no hitch in getting import from Afghanistan as the city traders are getting supplies of fresh fruits and medicinal plants from Afghanistan.

Welcoming the announcement of resumption of flights by Ariana airline, BK Bajaj, president of the Indo Foreign Chamber of Commerce, said the move would boost the bilateral trade between the two countries. He said at present fresh fruits like sharda (a kind of melon), pomegranate, apple and grapes were being imported through the Integrated Check Post (ICP).

He said local importers of the Afghanistan dry fruit were concerned about the Indian Government’s denial of importing materials fumigated with aluminium phosphide. He said developed countries also permit its usage. The Indian Government, he said, insisted that methyl bromide should be used instead. However, it is not allowed in Afghanistan.

Local importers continue to face trouble in banking transactions with their counterparts in Afghanistan as the banking system continues to remain in limbo there.

Anil Mehra, a dry fruit importer, said the resumption of flights between Amritsar and Kabul should also be taken up. He recalled that there used to be a flight between the two cities years ago. It would be a win-win situation for both the countries. The holy city is a hub of medicines for which Afghans are totally dependent on other countries. Here they can easily get a supply of medicines and supply their fresh fruit and dry fruit here. For example, qualities of fresh fruit like sharda and grapes deteriorate due to the blistering heat and long transit period by road.