Afghanistan intends to agree with Russia on the supply of oil products by barter

Afghanistan would like to barter Russian oil products and food in exchange for minerals, dried fruits and medicinal herbs. About it declared Minister of Industry and Trade of the South Asian country Nuriddin Azizi in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“We would like to focus on the supply of food and other essential products, including oil products, and we are consulting with Russian partners. Our priority is to import these Russian goods on a barter basis,” he said.

According to him, Russia and Afghanistan have historical experience of mutual barter trade and the Afghan side has traditionally supplied large volumes of raisins. Now Kabul is ready to supply hundreds of tons of raisins and other dried fruits, he added. In addition, the country can also supply Russia with medicinal herbs, the prices for which are now, according to the official, very high. Afghanistan expects to reach an agreement with Russia on the supply of 1 million tons of gasoline and diesel fuel, he said.

If the barter scheme is not possible, Kabul is ready to use financial transactions, the US and the EU did not impose restrictions on the supply of these goods to Afghanistan, Azizi added.

On August 14, a delegation from the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Trade arrived in Moscow for negotiations on the purchase of Russian oil and grain. According to Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian ambassador to Kabul, questions about the supply of oil, wheat and sunflower oil were brought up for discussion.

On May 13, Afghan Chargé d’Affaires in Moscow, Jamal Nasir Garhwal, said that the country intends to expand economic cooperation with Russia, especially on gas and oil purchases. Russian President Vladimir Putin approved also the allocation of a certain amount of grain to Afghanistan if necessary.

Also, a delegation from Afghanistan took part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June (SPIEF). Then the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Afghanistan, Mohammadyounis Hossein, announced Afghanistan’s intention to buy 5,000 tons of oil and 2 million tons of grain from Russia.

In August 2021, after output from the country of American troops, representatives of the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan (“Taliban” is a terrorist organization banned in Russia). Since then, Moscow has not officially recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, but has been cooperating with representatives of the movement.

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