Afghan farmers process grapes into raisins amid Pakistan border closures

In Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province, grape farmers are facing severe economic hardship due to border closures with Pakistan. While the current harvest is plentiful, sporadic fighting along the mountainous border has severed access to Pakistan, which serves as the primary export market for Afghan fruit.

Unable to export fresh grapes, producers are turning to the domestic market and drying the fruit to produce raisins. However, the increased domestic supply has caused prices to plummet. For example, seven kilograms of raisins that previously sold for 1,000 to 1,200 afghanis ($13 to $16) are now fetching only 400 to 450 afghanis ($5 to $6).

The border tensions stem from accusations by Islamabad that the Taliban government is harboring militants, a charge Kabul denies. The resulting trade disruptions are exacerbating existing issues of poverty and malnutrition in the region.