Once in high demand in Afghanistan, the cherry was almost completely wiped out during decades of war and drought beginning in the late 1970s. But with the introduction of new cultivars, better orchard management techniques and an improved supply chain network, sweet cherries are rebounding.
Jabarkhel Ahmadi Trading Ltd. is taking advantage of the growing demand for cherries, both in Afghanistan's domestic market as well as overseas. “The current harvest is promising, and the demand is increasing each year,” said Nasir Ahmad Jabarkhel, the company's CEO. The Kabul-based company works with small-landholding farmers as well as commercial producers, providing full-service product cleaning, packaging, labeling and export.
He notes that Afghan farmers are planting more cherry orchards than ever before owing to the growing demand for the fruit. The common rootstock is Mahaleb and Gisela 5. From the 22 types of sweet cherries available, Burlat, Santina, Stella, Black star, Grace star, and Bing are most common.
Sweet cherries require cooler growing temperatures and are common in Paghman, Wardak, Kabul, and Panjshir provinces. They ripen in mid-May and are harvested through the end of June. The company packages the cherries in 500-700 gram plastic containers and 5 kg crates.
Jabarkhel Ahmadi Trading Ltd has been in the dry and fresh fruits business for six years, mainly exporting fresh cherries, apples, melons, grapes, apricots and pomegranates. The primary market for these products is India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
India is the lead market for Afghan cherries, and the company is interested in exploring new markets for the coming year. As with many exporters, the company was seriously challenged in conducting sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I was planning to go visit a countries and potential partners for my company’s products, but unfortunately, due to pandemic restrictions, I couldn’t travel,” he says. “Finding new buyers was almost impossible during the pandemic.”
But the markets are opening again, and Jabarkhel anticipates an increase in the volume of cherries next season. He notes that many farmers in high altitude areas are turning to sweet cherries as a profitable new addition to their orchards. Greater commercial production will in turn lead to his company being able to fulfill larger contracts in the future.
“The taste and quality of fresh Afghan fruits are in high demand on the international market, and our company is ready to export and make deals for next year’s fruit season,” said Jabarkhel.
For more information:
Naseer Ahmad Jabarkhel
Jabarkhail Ahmadi Ltd
Tel: +93 77 766 6620
Email: [email protected]