This ministry has reduced the customs products of each ton of coal, which was 15 dollars before, to 5 dollars, and the purpose of this work is to strengthen the country’s exports and encourage more businessmen to invest.
At the same time, the Ministry of Industry and Trade also considers this action to businessmen’s benefit and the growth of investment in Afghanistan.
Akhundzada Abdulsalam Jawad, the spokesman of the ministry, said in a conversation with Radio Kilid: “According to the survey, we can extract and use coal for another hundred years, but according to international laws, after 2035, countries should not use coal as the basic fuel in industries. Therefore, we try to sell our coal by then.”
A number of economic experts consider the reduction of customs products on coal exports to benefit Afghanistan and Pakistan in the short term, but they say that with the proceeds of this export, work should be done on the economic infrastructure of the country.
Economic commentator Kamaluddin Kakar says: “You know that currently neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan, are in dire need of Afghan coal. Along with the reduction of the customs tariff on coal exports, the tariff on other commercial items in Afghanistan should also be reduced.
Moreover, Mohibullah Sharif, another economic commentator, says that this short-term action can be economically beneficial for Afghanistan.
“This work will increase the government’s income in the short term, but when Afghanistan’s mines are extracted at a high rate, its negative effects will be felt in the long term.”
Ministry of Industry and Trade officials say that China is also interested in buying coal from Afghanistan.
Translated by: Sadaf Yarmal
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