Afghanistan is one of the biggest dry fruit exporters in the world and has been driving the dry fruit business in Khari Baoli, the biggest wholesale dry fruit and spices markets in India, for centuries.
Amid disrupted imports from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country, the dry fruit prices have witnessed a surge in Delhi causing concern to the traders of the Khari Baoli market.
Speaking to ANI, Ashish Goyal, a trader whose family has been importing dry fruits from Afghanistan for four generations, lamented the decreasing sales due to inflated prices.
"My family has been importing dry fruits from Kabul for the past 80 years. But now that all kinds of imports from Afghanistan have dried up. It will be problematic for us if the imports remain closed for a long time. We will have to look at some other options," said Goyal.
He informed that many dry fruits like figs, almonds, apricots and raisins are primarily imported from Afghanistan.
"Because of the current situation there, the prices have increased by more than 25-30 per cent. Our business has been affected a lot because of the problem in Afghanistan and we are very worried," he said.
"The people are either avoiding buying dry fruits or buying in small quantities because of the skyrocketing prices. The sales have been affected a lot because of this," the trader added.
Khari Baoli in Chandni Chowk is a Mughal-era market popular for the wholesale trade of spices and dry fruits. For centuries, the market has attracted traders from all corners of the world.
Another wholesaler Santosh Soni informed that the prices of dry fruits imported from Afghanistan have increased by Rs 200 per kg to Rs 400 per kg within days.
"If the situation does not improve soon, then the disrupted imports might affect our supply chain, which will further affect our monthly budget. Because of the increased prices, many customers are buying fewer amounts of dry fruits," he said.
The violence has dramatically surged in Afghanistan after the US drawdown started in May. In the build-up to the August 31 deadline, the Taliban managed to seize the majority of the territory and key border crossings.
Earlier on August 15, the Afghanistan government collapsed with President Ashraf Ghani leaving the country and the Taliban taking over the capital city of Kabul.
The world is closely watching the unfolding situation in Afghanistan as the countries have scrambled to evacuate their citizens from Afghanistan.
( With inputs from ANI )
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