Some Afghan businessmen are searching new routes for their commercial activities as border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to undermine the economic interaction between the two countries.

A number of businessmen said on Thursday the prices of vegetables and fruits coming to Afghanistan from Pakistan have increased by 30 percent over the past week since Pakistan announced fresh border restrictions along the border with Afghanistan.

Officials of the export promotion department have said that the recent Pakistani restrictions have also harmed Pakistan’s private sector.

Afghan officials say Pakistan’s actions have massively affected the export of fresh fruits and vegetables from Pakistan to Afghanistan and the central Asian countries.

“It is not our export season, so we are not losing out now. Pakistan, on the other hand, faces more losses than we do because it  exports vegetables and fruits to us and central Asia,” said Sayed Azim Mustafa Hashimi, head of dry and fresh fruit export department.

There is speculation that border restrictions by Pakistan have caused millions of dollars of harm to the business community in both countries.

Afghan businessmen have said that they are trying to review their economic and business interactions with Pakistan in the wake of the ongoing tensions between the two countries.

“Five trollies of oranges purchased from Pakistan have been stopped on other side of the border. We sold out one trolley, which is a loss for the Pakistanis,” said fruit importer Zahir.