300 trucks with Dry Fruits from Afghanistan stalled at border; Prices surge 15%

The trade route from Afghanistan to India via Pakistan has been severely disrupted, following the recent Pahalgam terror attack. As a result, prices of dry fruits like almonds, apricots, raisins, pistachios, and walnuts have surged by around 15%. 

A dry fruit trader from Ahmedabad, Subhash Agrawal, reported a sharp rise in wholesale prices: almonds have increased by ₹400–600 per kg, figs by ₹150, apricots by ₹50, raisins by ₹40, cashews by ₹150, and pistachios by ₹300. Walnut prices have also seen a noticeable spike.

Afghanistan exports the most dry fruits to India, around 20,000 tonnes annually, which typically arrive via land through Pakistan. The current political tension and India’s strong stance after the Pahalgam incident have led to border closures, stalling the dry fruit supply chain. Currently, around 300 trucks loaded with Afghan dry fruits are stranded at the Attari border awaiting clearance into India.

As demand increases due to the ongoing wedding season in North India, dry fruit supplies are tightening, and prices are expected to rise further, especially during the upcoming July wedding season and the festive periods of Navratri and Diwali.

Although India also imports dry fruits from the US via Dubai, the gap left by Afghan supplies is significant. 

Business insiders warn that unless an alternative import route is found, India may face a shortage. 

One such alternative could be via Afghanistan’s Chabahar Port through Iran, but that route takes nearly a month, compared to four days by land via Pakistan. Without proper refrigeration during transit, perishables like raisins and figs risk spoiling.

While imports from Afghanistan are currently duty-free under SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) trade agreements, it remains unclear whether the same will apply to shipments routed via Iran.