Finding new buyers is important for Afghan businesses involved in dried fruits, dates, honey, agricultural processing and handicrafts. Trade fairs offer opportunities for local entrepreneurs to meet customers, but attending an exhibition is not the same as securing a steady flow of export orders.
In a May 2026 report, UNDP said it had supported the participation of 34 small businesses at an agricultural exhibition, including 19 women-led enterprises. Other activities under the programme included business training, greenhouses, product processing and examples of limited cold-storage facilities.
Getting agricultural products to markets can require consistent quality, suitable packaging, safe storage, timely shipping and customs paperwork. One successful meeting alone does not establish lasting trade.
More durable business links may develop if traders have clear information on prices, standards and transport. At the same time, small enterprises may continue to face shortages of finance and expensive logistics.
To evaluate Afghan export development, observers must look beyond the number of exhibitions and assess orders actually fulfilled, sales completed and the real income received by farmers.