Afghanistan: Trade Profile

Foreign Trade in Figures

After the collapse of the Taliban government in 2001, Afghanistan has opened up to international trade. Afghanistan has very few commercial barriers for imported products, but the infrastructures are in bad condition, a legal and commercial framework is still being developed, a constant risk of armed violence and a volatile security situation are real trade barriers.

The trade deficit reached USD 3.67 billion in 2010 and it gets deeper under the effect of the imports of consuming goods and equipment aimed to relieve the challenges of the reconstruction. In 2011, exports should stabilize at about USD 530 million (fruits and nuts, hand woven carpets, wool, cotton, leather and furs as well as precious and semi-precious stones).
As for Imports, they should remain at the same level as in 2010, which was USD 4.2 billion (they are equipment goods, capital goods, agriculture supplies, rice, wheat, textiles and oil products).

The main export trade partners of the country are: India, Pakistan, the United States, the Netherlands and Tajikistan. Afghanistan imports products mainly from Pakistan, the United States, Germany and India.

Foreign Trade Indicators	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Imports of Goods (million USD)	2,582	2,819	3,020	3,336	4,200
Exports of Goods (million USD)	408	497	540	403	400
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP)	92	77	63	-	-
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP)	68	59	48	-	-
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP)	24	18	16	-	-

Source: WTO - World Trade Organization ; World Bank - Last Available Data.

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers (% of Exports)	2010
Pakistan	39.0%
India	16.8%
Turkey	9.0%
Iran	8.2%
Russia	7.6%
China	3.0%
Netherlands	2.4%
Iraq	2.2%
Turkmenistan	2.2%
Tajikistan	1.9%
United Arab Emirates	1.6%
Egypt	1.0%
United States	0.9%
Finland	0.8%
United Kingdom	0.5%
Germany	0.5%
Saudi Arabia	0.4%
Kazakhstan	0.2%
Syria	0.2%
Belgium	0.2%
See More Countries	19.5%

Main Suppliers (% of Imports)	2010
Uzbekistan	21.1%
China	13.7%
Pakistan	11.6%
Japan	9.6%
Germany	8.2%
Iran	7.5%
Kazakhstan	4.0%
Russia	3.5%
Turkmenistan	2.3%
India	2.2%
Turkey	2.1%
United Arab Emirates	2.0%
Tajikistan	1.9%
United States	1.5%
South Korea	1.1%
Saudi Arabia	1.0%
Malaysia	1.0%
Thailand	0.8%
Indonesia	0.7%
Canada	0.7%
See More Countries	35.9%

Source: Comtrade, Last Available Data

Main Products

Main Exports (% of Exports)	2010
Carpets and other textile floor coverings, of...Carpets and other textile floor coverings, of textile materials, knotted, whether or not made-up	18.0%
Grapes, fresh or driedGrapes, fresh or dried	16.1%
Vegetable saps and extracts; pectic substances,...Vegetable saps and extracts; pectic substances, pectinates and pectates; agar-agar and other mucilages and thickeners derived from vegetable products, whether or not modified,	10.3%
Other nuts, fresh or dried, whether or not shelled...Other nuts, fresh or dried, whether or not shelled or peeled (excl. coconuts, brazil nuts and cashew nuts)	9.3%
Other oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, whether or...Other oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, whether or not broken (excl. edible nuts, olives, soya beans, ground-nuts, copra, linseed, rape or colza seeds and sunflower seeds)	6.3%
Ginger, saffron, turmeric "curcuma", thyme, bay...Ginger, saffron, turmeric "curcuma", thyme, bay leaves, curry and other spices (excl. pepper of the genus piper, fruit of the genus capsicum or of the genus pimenta, vanilla, cinnamon, cinnamontree flowers, cloves [wholefruit], clove stems, nutmeg, mace, cardamoms, seeds of anise, badian, fennel, coriander, cumin and caraway, and juniper berries)	2.0%
Dates, figs, pineapples, avocados, guavas, mangoes...Dates, figs, pineapples, avocados, guavas, mangoes and mangosteens, fresh or dried	1.8%
Seeds of anis, badian, fennel, coriander, cumin or...Seeds of anis, badian, fennel, coriander, cumin or caraway; juniper berries	1.6%
Setts, curbstones and flagstones, of natural stone...Setts, curbstones and flagstones, of natural stone (excl. slate)	1.6%
Swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, alfalfa,...Swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, alfalfa, clover, sainfoin, forage kale, lupines, vetches and similar forage products, whether or not in the form of pellets	1.1%
Apricots, cherries, peaches incl. nectarines,...Apricots, cherries, peaches incl. nectarines, plums and sloes, fresh	0.8%
MateMate	0.6%
Guts, bladders and stomachs of animals (other than...Guts, bladders and stomachs of animals (other than fish), whole and pieces thereof, fresh, chilled, frozen, salted, in brine, dried or smoked	0.4%
Tomatoes, fresh or chilledTomatoes, fresh or chilled	0.3%
Marble, travertine, ecaussine and other calcareous...Marble, travertine, ecaussine and other calcareous monumental or building stone of an apparent specific gravity of >= 2,5, and alabaster, whether or not roughly trimmed or merely cut, by sawing or otherwise, into blocks or slabs of a square or rectangular shape (excl. in the form of granules, chippings or powder)	0.3%
See More Products	40.0%

Main Imports (% of Imports)	2010
Peat, incl. peat litter, whether or not...Peat, incl. peat litter, whether or not agglomerated	18.6%
Wheat or meslin flourWheat or meslin flour	4.5%
Setts, curbstones and flagstones, of natural stone...Setts, curbstones and flagstones, of natural stone (excl. slate)	3.5%
Parts and accessories for tractors, motor vehicles...Parts and accessories for tractors, motor vehicles for the transport of ten or more persons, motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, motor vehicles for the transport of goods and special purpose motor vehicles of heading 8701 to 8705, n.e.s.	3.3%
Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their...Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their fractions, boiled, oxidised, dehydrated, sulphurized, blown, polymerized by heat in vacuum or in inert gas or otherwise chemically modified, inedible mixtures or preparations of animal or vegetable fats or oils or of fractions of different fats or oils, n.e.s.	2.3%
Braids of textile materials, in the piece;...Braids of textile materials, in the piece; ornamental trimmings of textile materials, in the piece, not embroidered, other than knitted or crocheted; tassels, pompons and similar articles of textile materials	2.3%
Chocolate and other food preparations containing...Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa	2.1%
Instruments and appliances used in medical,...Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences, incl. scintigraphic apparatus, other electro-medical apparatus and sight-testing instruments, n.e.s.	1.7%
Machinery for sorting, screening, separating,...Machinery for sorting, screening, separating, washing, crushing, grinding, mixing or kneading earth, stone, ores or other mineral substances, in solid, incl. powder or paste, form; machinery for agglomerating, shaping or moulding solid mineral fuels, ceramic paste, unhardened cements, plastering materials or other mineral products in powder or paste form; machines for forming foundry moulds of sand; parts thereof	1.5%
Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in...Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form	1.3%
Cigars, cheroots, cigarillos and cigarettes of...Cigars, cheroots, cigarillos and cigarettes of tobacco or of tobacco substitutes	1.0%
Retreaded or used pneumatic tyres of rubber; solid...Retreaded or used pneumatic tyres of rubber; solid or cushion tyres, tyre treads and tyre flaps, of rubber	0.9%
Angles, shapes and sections of iron or non-alloy...Angles, shapes and sections of iron or non-alloy steel, n.e.s.	0.8%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons	0.8%
Pharmaceutical preparations and products of...Pharmaceutical preparations and products of subheading nos 3006.10.10 to 3006.60.90	0.8%
Tea, whether or not flavouredTea, whether or not flavoured	0.7%
Coke and semi-coke of coal, of lignite or of peat,...Coke and semi-coke of coal, of lignite or of peat, whether or not agglomerated; retort carbon	0.7%
Coal gas, water gas, producer gas, lean gas and...Coal gas, water gas, producer gas, lean gas and similar gases (excl. petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons)	0.7%
Waters, incl. mineral waters and aerated waters,...Waters, incl. mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured, and other non-alcoholic beverages (excl. fruit or vegetable juices and milk)	0.6%
Milk and cream, concentrated or containing added...Milk and cream, concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter	0.5%
Soap; organic surface-active products and...Soap; organic surface-active products and preparations for use as soap, in the form of bars, cakes, moulded pieces or shapes, whether or not containing soap; organic surface-active products and preparations for washing the skin, in the form of liquid or cream and put up for retail sale, whether or not containing soap; paper, wadding, felt and nonwovens, impregnated, coated or covered with soap or detergent	0.4%
Footwear with outer soles of rubber, plastics,...Footwear with outer soles of rubber, plastics, leather or composition leather and uppers of leather (excl. orthopaedic footwear, skating boots with ice or roller skates attached, and toy footwear)	0.4%
Electrical ignition or starting equipment of a...Electrical ignition or starting equipment of a kind used for spark-ignition or compression-ignition internal combustion engines, e.g. ignition magnetos, magneto-dynamos, ignition coils, sparking plugs, glow plugs and starter motors; generators, e.g. dynamos and alternators, and cut-outs of a kind used in conjunction with such engines; parts thereof	0.4%
Padlocks and locks "key, combination or...Padlocks and locks "key, combination or electrically operated", of base metal; clasps and frames with clasps, incorporating locks, of base metal; keys for any of the foregoing articles, of base metal	0.3%
Paper, paperboard, cellulose wadding and webs of...Paper, paperboard, cellulose wadding and webs of cellulose fibres, in strips or rolls of a width <= 36 cm, in rectangular or square sheets of which no side > 36 cm in the unfolded state, or cut to shape other than rectangular or square, and articles of paper pulp, paper, paperboard, cellulose wadding or webs or cellulose fibres, n.e.s.	0.3%
Air conditioning machines comprising a...Air conditioning machines comprising a motor-driven fan and elements for changing the temperature and humidity, incl. those machines in which the humidity cannot be separately regulated; parts thereof	0.3%
Dried leguminous vegetables, shelled, whether or...Dried leguminous vegetables, shelled, whether or not skinned or split	0.3%
Harvesting or threshing machinery, incl. straw or...Harvesting or threshing machinery, incl. straw or fodder balers; grass or hay mowers; machines for cleaning, sorting or grading eggs, fruit or other agricultural produce; parts thereof (other than machines for cleaning, sorting or grading seed, grain or dried leguminous vegetables of heading 8437)	0.3%
Women's or girls' blouses, shirts and...Women's or girls' blouses, shirts and shirt-blouses (excl. knitted or crocheted and vests)	0.2%
Machining centres, unit construction machines ...Machining centres, unit construction machines "single station" and multi-station transfer machines for working metal	0.2%
Aluminium tube or pipe fittings "e.g., couplings,...Aluminium tube or pipe fittings "e.g., couplings, elbows, sleeves"	0.2%
Colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin,...Colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin, incl. dye extracts (excl. animal black), whether or not chemically defined; preparations based on colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin of a kind used to dye fabrics or produce colorant preparations (excl. preparations of heading 3207, 3208, 3209, 3210, 3213 and 3215)	0.2%
Manufactured tobacco and manufactured tobacco...Manufactured tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes and "homogenized" or "reconstituted" tobacco, tobacco extracts and tobacco essences (excl. cigars, incl. cheroots, cigarillos and cigarettes)	0.2%
Television receivers, whether or not incorporating...Television receivers, whether or not incorporating radio-broadcast receivers or sound or video recording or reproducing apparatus; video monitors and video projectors	0.2%
Electrical apparatus for line telephony or line...Electrical apparatus for line telephony or line telegraphy, incl. line telephone sets with cordless handsets and telecommunication apparatus for carrier-current line systems or for digital line systems; videophones; parts thereof	0.2%
Birds' eggs, in shell, fresh, preserved or cookedBirds' eggs, in shell, fresh, preserved or cooked	0.2%
Tubes, pipes and hoses, and fittings therefor, e.g...Tubes, pipes and hoses, and fittings therefor, e.g. joints, elbows, flanges, of plastics	0.2%
Imitation jewelleryImitation jewellery	0.1%
Floor coverings of plastics, whether or not...Floor coverings of plastics, whether or not self-adhesive, in rolls or in the form of tiles; wall or ceiling coverings of plastics, in rolls with a width of >= 45 cm, consisting of a layer of plastic fixed permanently on a backing of any material other than paper, the face side of which is grained, embossed, coloured, design-printed or otherwise decorated	0.1%
See More Products	67.8%

Source: Comtrade, Last Available Data

To go further, check out our service Import export flows

Commercial Policy

Main International Economic Cooperation: Member of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

Member of Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC)

Member of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)

Afghanistan became an observer to the World Trade Organization in December 2004 and has announced its intention to complete the WTO accession process within the next five years.
Assessment of Commercial Policy: Country’s commercial policy
Average Customs Duty (Excluding Agricultural Products): 4%

List of tariffs and local taxes that apply to your product on our service Customs duties and local taxes

Useful Resources: The Afghanistan Customs Department

Egyptian Mission in Afghanistan
Road 15, Wazir Akbar Khan,
Kabul
Phone: 61122- 20542 -22461
Fax: 00930202104064
Contact the mission via Email.
National Organization of Intellectual Property: You can contact the Afghanistan Intellectual Property Board by Email.

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