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supplying specialists for the better sorting of cotton for export and for other markets. As a result of this considerable satisfaction has been achieved from the Afghan Barter Agreements with several countries. (ii) Fruit: fresh and dry fruits are among the important produce and export items of Afghanistan. In order to increase the export of this item to foreign countries a new company was established at Kandahar with a capital of 500,000 Afghanis. A Ministry of Trade representative is assisting this company for the sorting and standardising of fruits. Another company has been established in Kabul with a capital of 7,500,000 Afghanis and aims to do the following: a. export fresh and dry fruits and seeds, b. regulate the market from the view-point of export and the requirements of foreign trade markets, c. seek foreign markets for fruit from Afghanistan. d. import machinery for the cleaning, purifying, packing and conserving of fruits. Until recently the market for the export of Afghan fruit was India and Pakistan. The Ministry has made efforts to expand this market, and with this end in view has despatched samples of Afghan products to various eastern, European, African and American states. Orders have been received from a number of these for such fruits as raisins, pistachio, almond, walnut, dried apricot, etc. Several machines for cleaning raisins were imported during 1337 and distributed to various raisin-producing localities in Kandahar and Kabul. INSURANCE The Afghan export and import items are being insured by foreign companies such as Sterling and Union. A U.S.S.R. A karakul ram and his shepherd. Thousands of flocks of karakul sheep are raised in the Northern Provinces Insurance Company has also agreed to insure Afghan commodities. A proposal of a French insurance company with respect to Afghan goods is now under study. Arrangements have been made for the despatch of a representative of the Ministry to Germany for higher and more specialised training in the field of insurance. The Ministry is also studying the possibility of establishing several Afghan insurance companies and has taken steps in employing an insurance specialist from Germany for the time being. NEW COMPANIES AND TRANSPORT ORGANISATIONS During 1337 and with the active encouragement of the Ministry, several companies and transport organisations came into being. Following are details of a few of them:- Company Capital Afghanis Machine workers Ltd. 5,000,000 Mohabbat Co. 2,400,000 Siddiki Transport Co. 1,780,000 Pashtani Co. 1,400,000 Bakhtawar Co. 2,400,000 Wadani Co. 2,500,000 91