Afghanistan’s raisin farmers used to supply snacks for people around the world. For many decades through the 1970s, the country claimed about 20 percent of the global market for raisins. But years of conflict and political instability contributed to a decline in production volumes and quality, and farmers lost market share—as well as income.
Today, less than 40 percent of Afghan raisins are exported. These are traded at deep discounts compared with those from neighboring countries because they fall short of international quality and food safety standards.
But a local company aims to help Afghanistan reclaim its status as a world-class raisin producer and exporter. With support from the World Bank Group, the family-owned Rikweda Fruit Processing Company is building a state-of-the-art processing plant in Kabul province. It is expected to nearly double the country's raisin processing capacity and help 3,000 small-scale raisin farmers improve yields and incomes.
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