According to Amac News: Khan Jan Alkozai, a member of the board of directors of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said that in the first six months of this year, more than 529,000 tons of coal worth more than $52 million were exported.
"Last year we exported about 771,000 tons of coal from Afghanistan, but this year we exported about 50,000 tons, which is 25,000 tons less than last year in the first six months," he said.
He blamed the decline in coal exports this year on border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, rising coal prices relative to world market prices, and increased tariffs on exporters.
China, India, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates are among the buyers of Afghanistan's coal.
Meanwhile, some of Afghanistan's coal mines have been contracted to domestic companies and the coal revenues from Balkhab are being used to finance the Qush Teppa Canal.