Afghan farmers turn their grapes into raisins after border closures slash fruit exports to Pakistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — It’s grape season in Afghanistan’s southern province of Kandahar, and the harvest this year is plentiful. But that’s small comfort for the region’s grape producers and workers, who say…
Afghan grape farmers are adapting to the impact of border closures with Pakistan by converting their grapes into raisins, a lower-value product. As grape export to Pakistan dwindles due to ongoing skirmishes, domestic demand has surged, causing prices to plummet. In Kandahar’s Zhari district, warehouses filled with drying green grapes now house trays of green grapes suspended by sticks. Despite the reduced revenue, farmers like Sakhi Jan, who heads a household of seven, continue to struggle to make ends meet.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
