New Delhi, India – The U.S. Agency for International Development, in cooperation with the governments of India and Afghanistan, announced the third annual Passage to Prosperity: India – Afghanistan International Trade and Investment Show from September 24 – 26, 2019 at the J.W. Marriott Hotel – New Delhi Aerocity. Attendance is limited to buyers and sellers on September 24, but the event will be open to the public on September 25 and 26.
The trade show will bring together Afghan exporters and Indian buyers for an annual exhibition of Afghanistan’s finest products, such as handwoven carpets, embroidery, gems and jewelry, as well as fruits, nuts, and spices. USAID expects approximately 100 Afghan businesses, including those owned by women, and more than 1,000 representatives of the Indian private sector to attend the event, which showcases the vibrant private sector market linkages between India and Afghanistan.
Agriculture dominates the Afghan economy and Afghanistan’s fresh and dried fruits, nuts, and spices will be prominently featured. Afghan apricots, pomegranates, grapes, and raisins have long been a staple of Indian hospitality. The development of a new cold storage facility at Hamid Karzai International Airport along with an air corridor linking the two countries has spurred even greater interest among Indian buyers for Afghanistan’s fruits and juices.
As Rajesh Naidu, a buyer from the Spar supermarket chain, noted, “India has a huge consumption base, and the new trend is toward health-consciousness. If we can provide our customers with all-natural fruit juices without preservatives, I think the sky’s the limit for our company and Afghan businesses.”
The exhibition will include matchmaking events for buyers and sellers to exchange information, network, and negotiate deals. More than 1,000 Indian private sector representatives attended the 2018 Passage to Prosperity India-Afghanistan International Trade and Investment Show; it was held in Mumbai and yielded more than $71 million in signed contracts.
For more information contact: Amit Pant@8377950026, Ankur Sharma@9953950487, Amir Hashmi@9911190972
