Xinhua reports that the pine nut business has changed the lives of the Nuristan farmers since Afghanistan started exporting it to China via the air corridor.

Khost, Paktika and Paktika provinces are known for their quality pine nuts production, but since the opening of the air corridor with China in 2018, plantations have also developed in Nuristan, Laghman, Kapisa and other provinces.
Nuristan businessman Marouf Khan told Xinhua, “Pine nut exports to China over the past couple of years have increased the country’s income and also changed living conditions of those involved in the business.”
Presently many local farmers are working to collect and process pine nuts.
“If the people of Nuristan with the support of government protect and develop the pine nut forests and properly process it with modern machines, definitely they will earn enough livelihood much more than expected to change their living conditions,” Khan told Xinhua.
Since Nuristani farmers started exporting pine nuts, local investments have increased as have job opportunities and incomes.
The provincial agriculture department expected produce to be over 200 tons this year.