Insecurity main cause of trade decrease up to 60%

KABUL: (MEP) – Afghanistan customs revenue dropped by 5,700,000000 Afghanis in the current year.

Officials in finance ministry said that concerns over the withdrawal of foreign troops by the end of 2014 and the continuation of insecurity caused the border trade to decrease by 60 %.

Postponement of the signing of the security agreement with America by Afghanistan’s president; the continuation of insecurity; and smuggling of trade goods from illegal routes to avoid custom payments reduced the Afghanistan customs revenue.

Najib Wardak head of customs in Afghanistan said, “This years’ customs revenue collected nearly 47 billion Afghanis so far. This amount is supposed to reach to 49 billion Afghanis by the end of the fiscal year.”

According to Mr. Wardak, one of the factors in decline of customs revenue is concerns of the withdrawal of foreign troops by the end of 2014, Ariana news reported.

Previously, Chamber of Commerce officials announced that if the security agreement is not signed soon, there is the possibility of an economic crisis in Afghanistan.