For the first time, Afghan farmers will export their country’s world-renowned apples into the Indian market, a move that will dramatically expand Afghanistan’s agricultural exports and add to the prosperity of thousands of Afghan farmers.

The landmark agreement between Afghanistan and India will help Afghan farmers in Wardak and Gardez to export up to 3,000 metric tons of their produce.

Drought conditions have reduced India’s apple harvest, and exports from Afghanistan will help to fill demand. Afghan farmers likely will receive more money for their apples in India than in neighboring Pakistan despite the higher logistical costs involved in transporting the produce.

The export of the initial batch of the apples started this week. It is expected that an average 50 metric tons of apples will be exported from Wardak and Gardez to India each week.

Exporting the 1.5 million metric tons of apples from Wardak and similar quantity from Gardez comes after a New Delhi meeting on November 6 that secured India’s seal of approval for the exports to begin.

India requires Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) to ensure adequate measures have been taken against infestations.  The PRA was a collaborative effort between the governments of Afghanistan and India.

With the approval and support of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), an implementing partner of USAID performed the test and submitted the results to Indian officials.

The opening of the Indian market comes just as farmers in Afghanistan harvest their apples. Farmers in Gardez must sell their apples by mid-December before the first frost sets in. Wardak farmers will be able to store their apples for as long as six months in two cold storage facilities provided by the Turkish Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in the province.