Monday, June 13 – According to officials in Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI), mushroom is Afghanistan’s precious agricultural product which is shipped through Pakistan to International Markets with the Pakistani trade mark.
Each KG of dried mushroom is worth USD150 in Afghanistan. While the cost of a KG of mushrooms peaks to USD900 after going through trade process in Pakistan. Officials in ACCI said that the product is exported to International markets with the Pakistani trade mark, relating the product to Pakistan.
According to ACCI, huge amounts of mushroom is found in Northern Badakhshan, Kunar, Nooristan provinces as well as Hindukosh mountains.
Afghanistan’s mushroom has the best quality and value as compared to other countries.
The officials further added that more than 200 tons of dried mushrooms are produced in Afghanistan on annual basis. They are exported to neighboring countries with the cheapest prices due to lack of process facilities in the country.
Yet, there has not been any investment in mushroom production in the country, Deputy Head of ACCI Khanjan Alokozai said.
He further added, “People don’t care about mushrooms. Most often they get eaten by animals.”
Afghan mushrooms are famous for their quality in global markets. As per the officials said 80 percent of the vegetable is useful in making medicines.
A sad affair in face of the fact that the west claims to be spending an atrocious amount of money in Afghanistan each year-amounting to millions. And yet after almost twelve years simple things like rudimentary process plants for mushroom and other dry items isn’t available to Afghans.
Germany, Japan and South Korea were thriving economies just 5 years after the war thanks to the international help they got in rebuilding their nations after the world war but Afghanistan has mostly got promises and propaganda and a some people in the government who have no intention of helping poor Afghans.
All we, as Afghans, ask of the world community and foreign troops is to just drop your support for these corrupt people who cheated and robbed the people the past decade and encourage young, honest, educated Afghans (of which there are thousands) from within and abroad to play a role in governing this country.
What we need here is a true democracy not more of the gun-slinging bullies and thugs that man the ministries in Kabul. All ‘they’ these thugs have done is make Kabul and the rest of Afghanistan safe for thugs and thieves.