The closing of the Pak-Afghan border has elevated pine nut costs, rendering them a luxury item.

The closing of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border has resulted in a significant rise in the pricing of dry fruits in Quetta, especially pine nuts (chilgoza), which are now priced between Rs8,000 and Rs9,000 per kilogram, rendering them a luxury item.

Notwithstanding the prime season for dried fruits, Quetta’s markets appear desolate due to the cessation of cross-border trade and the continuous repatriation of Afghan refugees.

Purchasers indicate that elevated prices have hindered their ability to get dried fruits as they did in prior years.

Traders in Quetta’s dry fruit market have voiced apprehension regarding the price increase, observing that premium pine nuts sourced from Bannu are approximately Rs3,000 per kilogram pricier than those from Zhob and other local regions, mostly due to the disruption of supplies from Afghanistan.