1. A Taste of Afghan Hospitality
Afghanistan Dried Fruit, Nuts, and Saffron Directory
Aahar International Food and Hospitality Fair
March 10-14, 2015
Hall Number 18 - FIFI - 18U / 07
Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India

3. A Taste of
Afghan Hospitality
In Afghanistan, we pride ourselves on our
hospitality. A guest in an Afghan home can
expect to be treated to a lavish display of
the country’s dried fruit and assorted nuts
and multiple cups of steaming tea. We know
our guests deserve the very best, and we can
offer that thanks to Afghanistan’s fertile land
and temperate climate.
About 60 percent of the world’s dried fruit
and nuts came from Afghanistan before the
1980s. The country is home to crunchy
almonds, sweet raisins, plump figs, tasty
pistachios, delectable dried apricots, and
high-grade saffron. Buyers from Pakistan,
India, and the United Arab Emirates are
already meeting high consumer demand in
their countries with Afghanistan’s traditional
delights. The rest of the world is following
suit and reawakening to the vast potential in
our quality dried fruit, nuts, and saffron.
But don’t take our word for it. Please be our
guest and enjoy a taste of Afghan hospitality
for yourself.
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4. Saffron
Afghanistan produces about 0.6 percent of
the world’s saffron, but production has the
potential to grow exponentially. In December
2012, Afghanistan’s saffron was awarded
first place for quality among 16 countries
at the International Saffron Exhibition held
in France. The saffron produced in Afghani-
stan, according to the officials, was the best,
surpassing the others with its perfume, color,
and taste.
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5. Almonds
Afghanistan is home to a wide variety of
almonds, and production reached 62,000
metric tons in 2012. The country’s almonds
belong to two core classes: soft-shell al-
monds and hard- and medium-shell almonds.
Both classes are subdivided in several types,
and then multiple varieties. For instance,
the popular type called Sattarbai belongs to
the soft-shell class. There are also varieties
of Sattarbai, such as Sattarbai Sufi, Sattarbai
Guldar, and Sattarbai Mamakhail.
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6. Raisins
Afghanistan’s raisins are born of what many
regard as the best tasting grapes in the
world. A high brix level gives Afghanistan’s
grapes – and subsequently its raisins –
their distinctive sweetness. Afghan farmers
typically dry 20 to 25 percent of their grape
crops, and raisins historically have proved a
major export for the country.
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7. Figs
Afghanistan’s traditional string of plump figs
offers a tasty, filling, and nutrition-packed
snack for people on the go. Nearly all fig pro-
duction in Afghanistan occurs in Kandahar
province in southern Afghanistan. Much of
the production is exported to India, Pakistan,
and Dubai.
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8. Dried Apricots
Afghanistan’s apricots rank among the
best-tasting apricots due to their distinc-
tive sweetness. Afghanistan’s Amiri apricot,
for example, is distinguished from other
varieties by its sweetness, with a brix level
of 14-22. The highest brix level of apricots
grown outside of Afghanistan is only up to
14. Afghanistan’s dried apricots come whole
or sliced.
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9. Pistachios
Afghanistan is home to about four species of
pistachios, which are recognized for their col-
or and intense flavor. Pistachios grow across
a wide swath of northern Afghanistan and
are a big agricultural export of the country
– with many small villages depending on
pistachio forests for their livelihoods.
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10. COMPANY PROFILES
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11. AMIN AYAZI CO. LTD.
Mr. Noorideen
+93 700 301 386
+93 786 068 048
Mohammad Afzal Khan Market
District 9, Kandahar, Afghanistan
Amin Ayazi Co. Ltd., established in 2001,
works in packing, processing, and exporting
fresh fruit and dried fruit and nuts, including
almonds, walnuts, apricots, pistachios, raisins,
and mung beans, to countries such as Paki-
stan, Iran, United Arab Emirates, England, and
India. The company has 130 staff.
ARIANA SAFFRON CO. LTD.
Mr. Basher Ahamad
+93 796 313 017
basherahmadrashidi@yahoo.com
info@arianasaffron.com
Ariana Saffron Co. Ltd., established in 2011,
works in cultivation, harvesting, processing,
packing, and sales of saffron across Afghani-
stan and international markets. The compa-
ny has sub-branches in Kabul and exports
organic Afghan saffron to the United Arab
Emirates, Saudi Arabia, France, China, and
America. Ariana Saffron Co. Ltd. is equipped
with modern agricultural machinery and
irrigation systems and invests in agricultural
innovations in the saffron industry.
GHARZAI SAFFRON LTD.
Mr. Omar Farooq Gharzai
+93 799 290 229
+93 785 501 602
info@gharzaisaffron.com
Mukhaberat, 1st Street
Herat, Afghanistan
Gharzai Saffron was established in 2011
to support local saffron farmers in culti-
vating, processing, drying, packaging, and
exporting saffron. The Herat-based company
has branches in Kabul and exports organic
Afghan saffron to the United Arab Emirates,
France, Belgium, and other countries.
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12. KARIM SUDAIS CO. LTD.
Mr. Aminullah
+93 700 324 507
+93 700 324 509
Mohammad Afzal Khan Market, District 9
Kandahar, Afghanistan
Karim Sudais Co. Ltd., established in 2009,
works in packing, processing, and exporting
fresh fruit and dried fruit and nuts such as
almonds, walnuts, apricots, pistachios, raisins,
and mung beans. The company exports to
countries such as Pakistan, Iran, United Arab
Emirates, and India. The company employs
200 staff.
MAHER HAMZA CO. LTD.
Mr. Khalil Rahman
+93 700 362 656
+93 700 300 606
Old Custom Main Road, Street 75
Kandahar, Afghanistan
Maher Hamza Co. Ltd., established in 2009,
works in packing, processing, and exporting
fresh fruit and dried fruit and nuts, including
almonds, walnuts, apricots, pistachios, raisins,
and mung beans, to Pakistan, Iran, United
Arab Emirates, and India. The company em-
ploys 200 people.
HERAY FAROOQI CO. LTD.
Mr. Sayed Seliman
+93 784 221 882
farooqicarpets@yahoo.com
Mandavi
Kabul, Afghanistan
Heray Farooqi Co. Ltd., established in 2010,
works in packing, processing, and exporting
fresh fruit as well as dried fruit and nuts,
including almonds, walnuts, apricots, pista-
chios, raisins, and mung beans to countries
such as Pakistan, Iran, United Arab Emirates,
and India. The company employs 60 people.
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13. MELAD JEHOON SADAT CO. LTD.
Mr. Habibullah
+93 700 882 222
Habib_habibzada@hotmail.com
Mandawee
Kabul, Afghanistan
Melad Jehoon Sadat Co. Ltd. has worked in
the import and export of dried fruit and nuts
since 2009. The company exports saffron and
dried fruit and nuts such as raisins, peas, and
almonds, to Canada, Australia, Pakistan, Unit-
ed Arab Emirates, and India. The company
employs more than 60 staff.
MUJTABA SAJAD RAFFET LTD.
Mr. Ghulam Murtaza Reffet
+93 789 312 436
+93 744 473 245
murtazarefat0700@gmail.com
Faizmuhad Muhammad Naseri Market
Kabul, Afghanistan
Mujtaba Sajad Raffet Ltd. established in
2005, works in packing, processing and
exporting dried fruit and nuts, such as
almonds, walnuts, apricots, pistachios, raisins,
and mung beans, to countries such as China,
Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, United Arab Emirates,
and India.
NAJEB AMIN CO. LTD.
Mr. Noor Shah
+93 700 308 086
+93 700 304 642
Mohammad Afzal Khan Market
District 9
Kandahar, Afghanistan
Najeb Amin Co. Ltd., established in 2005,
works in packing, processing, and exporting
fresh fruit and dried fruit and nuts – includ-
ing almonds, walnuts, apricots, pistachios,
raisins, mung beans, and figs. The company
exports to countries such as Pakistan, Iran,
United Arab Emirates, and India. The compa-
ny employs 150 staff.
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14. NEGIN SANG COMMERCIAL CO. LTD.
Haji Razaq Faiz
+93 796 320 063
+93 783 519 553
Razaq_faiz@yahoo.com
Wali Asr Plaza, 3rd District
Kabul, Afghanistan
Negin Sang Co., established in 2007, is a
leading company in the export of fresh and
dried fruit from Afghanistan to local and
international markets. The company sorts,
packages, processes, and exports fresh and
dried fruit such as almonds, walnuts, apricots,
and raisins.
ZAMARAI RASOULI CO. LTD.
Haji Javed Rasouli
+93 799 303 160
+93 777 755 555
rasoly786@gmail.com
www.rasolygroup.com.af
Mandawi
Baghaban Kucha, Drab Market
Kabul, Afghanistan
Zamarai Rasouli Co. Ltd. has 35 years of ex-
perience in the field of natural and medicinal
plants and dried fruit and nuts. The company
exports to India, China, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey,
Europe, America, South Africa, United Arab
Emirates, and other Gulf countries.
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