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Afghanistan cuts air cargo fees to support exports
by The Frontier Post
KABUL (TOLONews): The Ministry of Transport and Aviation has reduced fees for a number of cargo services at the country’s international airports to support exporters.
Under the new changes, the aviation security fee for cargo has been reduced from $100 to $10 per ton, representing a 90% discount.
The ground-handling fee for cargo has also been reduced from $96 to $40 per ton.
A 25% discount on service fees has also been introduced for scheduled air cargo flights, while unscheduled flights will receive a 50% discount.
Fathullah Mansour, the ministry’s deputy for aviation operations, said: “Afghanistan has significant potential in the trade and agriculture sectors. However, air corridors and air transport are among the important and effective routes for the rapid and safe transportation of these products to domestic and international markets, and the development of this sector requires adequate facilities and well-equipped infrastructure.”
The ministry added that airlines have also been provided with opportunities to transport goods to third countries, with the aim of increasing competition and reducing transportation costs for traders.
The Ministry of Transport and Aviation also announced the establishment of an export zone at Kabul airport, saying the zone could facilitate exports and the transportation of standardized goods.
Mohammad Anwar Jihadyar, head of customs at Kabul International Airport, said regarding customs services at the airport: “An order has been issued requiring customs offices to operate 24 hours a day. We are working to make these services available around the clock so that we can provide more and better services to traders.”
Meanwhile, exporters say that despite the new discounts, the cost of transporting goods by air remains high. They say further reductions in costs and an increase in cargo flights are needed to compete in regional and global markets.
Abdul Qasim Amarkhel, head of the Kabul Dried Fruit Exporters Union, said: “Cargo aircraft from other countries need to come to Afghanistan’s airports and transport export goods. Two aircraft are not enough to solve our problem because it is currently the dried-fruit export season, and the volume of export goods is also high.”
Given the closure or restriction of some land routes in the region and Afghanistan’s landlocked position, the use of air corridors and cargo services has become more important than ever for maintaining and increasing the country’s exports.
