KABUL, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan has exported pomegranates from Kandahar province to Qatar for the first time, as a significant step in efforts to expand the country's agricultural products to new international markets, local media Tolo news reported Saturday.

The shipment, totaling about 20 tons, reflects a growing initiative by Afghan producers to reach buyers beyond the region. The province's pomegranate shipments have increased by around 32 percent compared with last year, with nearly 22,000 tons sent to countries including Malaysia, Uzbekistan, and Russia, the report said.

Kandahar, long known as a major pomegranate-producing area, has seen a notable rise in fruit exports this year.