The closure of transit routes with Pakistan has caused Kandahar's grenade market to stagnate. Gardeners and merchants say that the decrease in exports has led to a drop in pomegranate prices, and many producers fear that they will not be able to compensate for even one year's hard work. Gardeners in Kandahar's Argandab, Jiri and Shahwalik districts say the pomegranate harvest season, which is usually the most prosperous time of the year for them, has been associated with losses this year and the income from selling the product does not cover the costs of gardening for a year. Traders say that this year only about 10% of Kandahar's diamonds were exported and almost 80% remained in the local market. According to merchants and gardeners, the price of each pomegranate "person", equivalent to about five kilograms, has dropped from 500 to 300 Afghanis; A decrease of almost 40%. Gul Mohammad, another gardener in Argandab, says he lost money two years in a row. He warns that if prices remain at this level next year, he may cut down the pomegranate trees and plant wheat instead.
More details.