Kabul—Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) has alleged that Afghan mushrooms shipped through Pakistan to international markets get a Pakistani trade mark relating the precious agricultural product to its own.
ToloNews quoted officials in ACCI as saying that the price of a kilo of dried mushroom is around $150 dollars in Afghanistan, but going through trade process in Pakistan the cost peaks at 900 dollars and then it is exported to international markets as a Pakistani agricultural product.
Northern Badakhshan, Kunar, Nooristan provinces as well as Hindukosh mountains are rich in mushrooms with the best value compared to other countries in the world, according to ACCI.
Afghanistan produces 200 tonnes of dried mushrooms each year, but due to lack of process facilities they are being exported to neighbouring countries, particularly to Pakistan, at a cheap price, officials said.
Deputy Head of ACCI Khanjan Alokozai said there hasn’t been any investment in mushroom production.
“People don’t care about mushrooms. Most often they get eaten by animals,” Mr Alokozai said. Afghan mushrooms are famous for their quality in global markets and as officials said 80 percent of the vegetable is useful in making medicines.—NNI
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