Afghanistan has exported a cotton shipment to Russia for the first time, marking a new development in trade relations between Kabul and Moscow. Russia’s RTV television network reported on Saturday, December 5, that a trial shipment of 45 tons had arrived at textile company warehouses in the Ivanovo region.
The shipment was imported by PrimeTex, a Russian raw-material sourcing company for spinning mills. Its director, Dmitry Bakarinov, said the idea originated from Uzbek partners. After Afghan cotton samples passed technical tests, two trial consignments were sent to Russia.
Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision confirmed to RTV that the country had no previous record of importing Afghan cotton. Bakarinov said Russian textile factories are now assessing the quality. If the evaluations remain positive and the pricing is competitive, larger orders could follow.
He added that future plans include importing yarn produced from Afghan cotton in Uzbekistan. According to him, this could open a new chapter of trilateral cooperation between Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Russia.
Cotton cultivation in Afghanistan is concentrated mainly in northern provinces such as Balkh, Kunduz, and Jawzjan. These regions produce long-staple cotton with fibers reaching up to 35 millimeters, which is typically used in high-quality textile fabrics.
In June, Nooruddin Azizi, acting head of the Taliban-run Ministry of Industry and Commerce, told Russian media that Afghanistan was prepared to supply various goods to Russia, including fruit, saffron, carpets, and cotton. He also encouraged Russian investment in Afghan mining, agriculture, and energy sectors.
According to the report, the Taliban administration aims to increase exports to Russia. In return, Russia supplies products such as oil, gas, and wheat to Afghanistan. Concerns persist about the sustainability of these trade links due to limited transparency, the lack of standard export infrastructure, and the Taliban’s lack of international recognition.
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