Afghanistan’s grape harvest is turning into raisins — literally — as exports collapse

Afghanistan's grape harvest is being transformed into raisins due to a collapse in exports, caused by ongoing fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan along their border. The border closures have severed a vital trade route, preventing grape producers from reaching their primary export market. Unable to sell their fresh fruit, producers have resorted to drying grapes for raisins, a cheaper product that commands lower prices.

In Kandahar's Zhari district, drying grape bunches hang over sticks in long warehouses, where fans stir the hot summer air to aid the process. Despite a bountiful harvest, grape producers and workers are struggling to make ends meet, with prices for raisins plummeting. Sakhi Jan, a grape orchard owner in Zhari, says his family barely survives on 400-450 Afghanis ($5-$6) for 7 kilograms (15.5 pounds) of raisins.

Abdul Baqi Bina, deputy director of the Kandahar Chamber of Commerce and Investment, highlights that the closure of border crossings has dealt a severe blow to Afghanistan's fruit exports, which previously totaled 44,225 tons ($13.8 million) in 2025. Now, only 256 tons have been exported, valued at $100,000. Haji Abdul Hai, a grape exporter, laments the unprecedented closure of roads, which has caused immense difficulties.

Last year, an orchard where Qudratullah Popal worked employed 1,500 workers, but this year, the number has dwindled to just 15. Popal emphasizes that the halted trade affects not only traders, laborers, and orchard owners, but the livelihoods of everyone involved.