Xifres de comerç exterior d'Afganistan

Foreign Trade in Figures

After the collapse of the Taliban Government in 2001, Afghanistan opened up to international trade. The state had very few commercial barriers for imported products, and customs duties had been kept flat given weak imports. The share of trade was estimated at 67% of GDP in 2023 (World Bank, latest data available). Afghanistan traditionally exports items with low value, such as dried fruit, carpets, cotton, cereals, and non-alcoholic beverages. Its main imports include wheat, peat, textiles, and petroleum products. Although not officially recorded, opium remains the main export of the country, but its production was drastically reduced in 2023.

According to the World Bank, in 2024, Afghanistan’s trade deficit widened by 59% year-on-year to USD 8.9 billion, equivalent to 44% of GDP, up from USD 5.6 billion (32% of GDP) in 2023. The expansion was driven by a stronger Afghani, increased foreign currency inflows, ongoing trade disruptions with Pakistan, and a likely gradual rise in aggregate demand. Exports declined by 12% to USD 1.9 billion, largely due to a 64% drop in coal exports to USD 92 million, as Pakistan resumed sourcing from traditional suppliers. Textile exports also fell by 14% to USD 242 million, reflecting currency appreciation, softer global demand, and higher Pakistani tariffs. In contrast, food exports rose by 4% to USD 1.31 billion, supported by China’s tariff exemptions and improved trade flows with Pakistan in late 2024. Imports surged by 40% to USD 10.8 billion in 2024, compared to USD 7.8 billion in 2023. The growth was fuelled by higher demand for transportation goods, mineral products (notably petroleum and cement), and chemicals. Transportation imports saw the sharpest increase, up 86% year-on-year, followed by mineral products (up 56%), chemicals (up 51%), and food products (up 28%). As a share of total imports, transportation goods rose from 7% in 2023 to 10% in 2024 (USD 1.04 billion), mineral products from 20% to 22% (USD 2.41 billion), and chemicals and related products from 7% to 8% (USD 0.84 billion).

Pakistan remained Afghanistan’s largest export destination, though its share fell from 54% in 2023 to 45% in 2024. India’s share rose to 34%, driven mainly by food exports. Meanwhile, trade diversification efforts saw Iran, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan each contribute about 3% of exports. Overall, food and textiles accounted for 82% of total exports, up from 71% the previous year. On the other hand, Iran remained Afghanistan’s top import source, accounting for 30% of total imports—a rise of 84% year-on-year—as trade increasingly shifted away from Pakistan amid restrictions and higher tariffs. The UAE followed with a 19% share, while Pakistan and China accounted for 16% and 7%, respectively, reflecting Afghanistan’s shifting trade dynamics within the region.