The wheels of Afghanistans war-torn economy are turning fast. Agriculture is making a big contribution in this regard. Cultivation of Pomegranate is one of the agricultural products in Afghanistan. Pomegranates are grown in abundance in the country. Afghanistan is one of the top countries in the production and export of this fruit. Juice and soft drinks are among the sectors that the country has improved since the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate Government (IEG) of Afghanistan came to power in August 2021. Soft water products are being unveiled one after another in the presence of IEG representatives and are being exported to the Middle East and Europe America.
Afghanistan has occupied the top position in the world in the production of fruit juice. Afghanistan is now the best name in the world ranking for fruit juice production in the December 2023 quarter. Good news is coming one after another from Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate. After they came to power there, as a blessing of Almighty Allah, the country produced the highest amount of pomegranates during the remembrance last year, which has already started exporting to India, Pakistan, Turkey, UAE, Qatar and even Germany. Currently, the foreign exchange reserves of the IEG have started to increase with the profit from the sale of these pomegranates and its juice.
Afghanistan was once the worlds leading producer of opium. The countrys current Taliban government imposed a strict ban on opium production after coming to power. As a result, the yield of opium has decreased drastically by almost 95 percent, according to a recent report of the United Nations (UN). According to a report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, opium cultivation across the country has declined from 2.33 lakh hectares to less than only 10,800 hectares in 2023. Opium production fell by 95 percent to 333 tonnes from the previous year. Basically, the policy changes of the Taliban have a far-reaching effect on the countrys economy. However, almost two-thirds of the countrys current population is in need of humanitarian assistance. But surprisingly, Myanmar has emerged as the worlds largest opium-producing country, surpassing Afghanistan. According to the above report of the UN, opium production in Myanmar is expected to increase by 36 percent to 1,080 tons last year. This production is much more than the amount of opium in Afghanistan. Myanmar is currently wracked by civil war, and extensive opium cultivation has become a lucrative source of income in the midst of civil war. It should be noted that opium is an ingredient in the production of heroin and from it, apart from heroin, morphine is obtained, which is used as medicine.
To know the story of this rise of Afghan pomegranate, we have to go to Kandahar state, 500 km from Kabul which was the capital of the Islamic Emirate during its previous rule. Pomegranate orchards cover thousands of hectares as far as the eye can spread. Huge ripe pomegranates are seen hanging from the trees. According to the West, Afghanistan is a place of terror, but the story of the countrys oil mines, as well as the heavenly environment that produces such expensive fruits, was kept hidden from the world. Worlds Best Pomegranates nowhere else Worlds New Superpower grows in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, some Afghan companies including "Pamir Gola" and "Safa Gola" are exporting various fruit juices including pomegranate to the developed world. Especially the United States (US) itself has become the largest market for palm kernels in Afghanistan. Those who have carried out massacres in Afghanistan for so many years are currently enjoying the juice of Afghanistan!
Afghanistan is among the top producers and exporters of pomegranates. Pomegranates are grown in abundance in the country. But while pomegranate was exported as a common fruit, now it is being exported in the form of a drink. Pamir Kolas Shafa drink has created a buzz around the world. It is considered to be the worlds best-selling Coca-Cola alternative and health drink. In a report in July last year, Afghan media reported that for the first time, the US was importing pomegranate-based beverages from Afghanistan. Afghanistans Ministry of Industry and Commerce said at the time that a shipment of pomegranate juice had been exported to the US for the first time from Afghanistan.
Analysts say the current wave of boycotts of PepsiCo and Coca-Cola following the Gaza-Israel conflict could see Afghan juices and soft drinks take over the vacant market. Even their plan to import soft drinks in Bangladesh has been seen through social media. If the Afghan companies can capture this empty market in this tide stage of boycott, it will be a big battle.
Surprisingly, the countrys pomegranate production tripled after the Taliban came to power. When the Emirate government banned opium cultivation, many scoffed that the mullahs avenues of income had been closed. But now it is seen that due to the good governance of the Emirate government, one after another mines are being discovered there and instead of opium, the production and potential of valuable fruits including pomegranate grapes have increased manifold.
The writer is a banker and columnist
