KABUL (Pajhwok Afghan News): Afghan pine nuts will be exported to Chinese markets under a protocol signed between the two countries on the sidelines of the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, a statement said on Tuesday.

The statement from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to Pajhwok Afghan News said the protocol was signed between Afghan ambassador to China Janan Musazai and Chinese customs department officials in the presence of Finance Minister Eklil Hakimi during the 18th meeting of the heads of states of the SCO in China’s coastal city of Qingado.

The statement added both the sides hailed the protocol as a step forward in promotion of trade between the neighbouring countries. The statement said the two sides would work closely to provide facilities for increasing Afghan exports to Chinese markets.

Afghanistan can earn up to $650&nbsp ;mln from direct export of its pine nuts to China, however most of the dried fruits is currently smuggled to Pakistan and from there it is exported to China. According to the agriculture and commerce ministries, Pakistan earns $1.2&nbsp ;mln from the export of Afghan-grown pine nuts.