The Ministry of Public Works says that 4.3 million metric tons of goods were transported through the railways of Afghanistan’s four ports last year.
A number of economic experts consider the railway to be the best route for trade, saying that trade through this route can deliver goods to the market on time.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works, told Pajhwok Afghan News that from the beginning to the end of 2024, 4.3 million metric tons of goods were transported through the railways of Afghanistan’s four ports (Hairan, Aqina, Torghundi, and Khaf-Herat).
He says that these transfers include 4.2 million metric tons of imported goods and more than 92,000 metric tons of exported goods.
He added that during this period, 3.4 million metric tons were transported through Hairatan Port, 386 thousand metric tons through Aqina Port, 565 thousand metric tons through Turghandi Port, and 22 thousand tons through Khaf-Herat Road.
He added that Afghanistan has imported goods including food, oil, and gas from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia, and Belarus.
According to him, Afghanistan has exported goods including pomegranate juice and minerals to Iran, Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Russia during this period.
He said that Afghanistan has direct relations with Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan through Hairatan, Aqina, Turghandi, and Khaf-Herat ports, and transfers are made through these routes, which indirectly connect it with Central Asian countries, the world, and the region.
He added that on the first half of this month, alongside the visit of the deputy railway minister of the ministry, the contract for the quadrilateral rail corridor between Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China was extended for 2025.
He added that in 2024, 4,200 containers were transported through this rail corridor between Afghanistan and China, and its contract was extended again for 2025.
According to him, with the extension of the contract for this corridor, there will be a significant increase in rail transport through this route.
According to Haqshenas, this corridor, which passes through China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and connects to the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif railway, was established by these four countries in 2022.
A number of economic experts say that trade through the railway can deliver goods to the market on time and consider this route better for trade.
Abdul Nasir Rashtia, an economic affairs expert, told that importing and exporting through railways can deliver goods to the market on time and also reduce costs.
He says that any way that transfer costs are reduced will undoubtedly have a very positive impact on reducing prices in the markets.