Iran-Afghanistan Chamber Head: Efforts Underway to Balance Bilateral Trade

Mahmoud Siyadat, head of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, said both sides are working to improve trade balance, with operational programs including contract farming to supply Iran's needs through Afghan agricultural and horticultural products.

Siyadat noted that trade balance and contract farming are being pursued in meetings between Khorasan officials and the Taliban, joint commissions, and government policies. He highlighted a significant gap between Afghanistan's imports from and exports to Iran, with Afghanistan lacking industrial and mineral goods for export but possessing high capacity in agriculture and livestock to meet Iranian demands.

With technical planning, advice for Afghan farmers, and machinery provision, Siyadat said products like lentils currently imported from distant countries such as Canada could be sourced from Afghanistan. He added that sugar beet cultivation, fresh meat supplies, and poultry feed could boost employment in Afghanistan, curb migration, and aid trade balance.

Imports from Afghanistan are rising, Siyadat said, with a substantial volume of cotton imported to Iran this year after dedicating large Afghan land areas to its cultivation. Contract farming agreements will soon enable fresh meat and other product imports, he added.

The Taliban have sought alternative routes and markets for products since Pakistan closed trade paths, though economic experts say finding affordable alternatives for Afghanistan is challenging.