STORY: Afghanistan exports saffron, ferula asafetida worth 77.5 mln USD in 6 months
SHOOTING TIME: Oct. 19, 2024
DATELINE: Oct. 19, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:15
LOCATION: Kabul
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of a saffron shop in Kabul

STORYLINE:

Afghanistan exported saffron and ferula asafetida worth 77.5 million U.S. dollars over the past six months, a spokesman with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Friday.
   
The country has exported 18 tonnes of saffron worth 20.5 million U.S. dollars and 617 tonnes of ferula asafetida worth 57 million U.S. dollars during the cited period through August, the official told local media.
   
According to the official, the valuable spices have been mostly exported to China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, Spain, Germany, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, the United States, and Britain.
   
Ferula asafetida is native to Central Asia and eastern Iran. Currently, it is grown chiefly in Afghanistan.
   
Afghanistan's Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock has provided training to farmers to promote saffron and ferula asafetida production in the war-ravaged Central Asian country.
   
Afghanistan's main export items include coal, saffron, ferula asafetida, hand-woven carpets, and precious stones. 

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kabul.
(XHTV)