Several residents of Kabul have expressed concern over rising food prices in the markets. They say this increase has occurred following the start of the war between the United States and Israel against Iran, and has intensified economic pressure on families. According to them, in addition to rising prices, many food items have become scarce in Kabul or have completely disappeared from the market. This situation has significantly reduced people’s purchasing power and, if ignored, could further expand livelihood problems.
These residents told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that some shopkeepers are selling previously imported food items at higher prices under the pretext of road closures. They believe that some shopkeepers have deliberately stockpiled these goods in order to sell them at higher rates when the opportunity arises. They emphasize that the lack of effective market monitoring has created conditions for such abuses.
Shekab, one of the Kabul residents, says this has increased economic pressure on low-income families and has left their households more deprived than before. According to him, the lack of market oversight has led to food items and other imported goods, especially those from Iran, being sold at excessive prices and differently than before, under the excuse of closed routes.
He said, “Unfortunately, the closure of borders and the war in the region have had a major impact on Afghanistan and have severely damaged the markets. Previously, a large share of goods came from Iran, but now, with reduced imports, prices are rising every day. People have no alternatives for many of these goods, and therefore, price increases directly affect their lives. Even fruits and beverages entering the market have become much more expensive than before, and almost all goods have seen price increases.”
Shabir, another Kabul resident, says the war in Iran has not only affected food items but has also increased the prices of all goods in the market. He adds that if this situation is not seriously addressed, the living conditions of low-income families will become more difficult. According to him, some shopkeepers and traders in Afghanistan are exploiting people’s needs and raising prices excessively.
He said: “Everything coming from Iran has become very expensive, and shopkeepers have also raised prices. They say the border is closed, and under this excuse,e they increase the price of everything. For example, infant formula that used to cost 200 Afghanis has now reached 300 Afghanis. Iranian shampoos that I used to buy have now doubled in price. Even dates, biscuits, and chocolate are hardly affordable. I wish shopkeepers would show some fairness. Sometimes they say the Pakistan route is closed, and sometimes they say the Iran route is closed, and for this reason, they raise all prices.”
Meanwhile, several shopkeepers in Kabul have rejected allegations of arbitrary price increases for food items. They say that the war in Iran and the closure of trade routes have disrupted imports and increased the cost of goods in the market. According to them, many goods now reach them through intermediaries at higher prices, which in turn increases the final price for consumers. They emphasize that in such conditions, shopkeepers’ profits have also decreased, and in some cases, they are only trying to cover the costs of purchasing and transporting goods.
Saboor, a food shopkeeper in Kabul, says they buy goods at high prices and are forced to sell them at higher rates. He adds that if the conflicts between Iran, Israel, and the United States continue, food prices will increase even further.
He said: “At present, Iranian oil is not available in the market, and mostly Russian oil is being supplied. Due to closed routes, Iranian goods are almost not being imported. Macaroni is also not coming properly. A carton of macaroni, which contains 20 pieces, used to cost 900 Afghanis, now costs 1,080 Afghanis. Even tomato paste that used to cost 70 Afghanis now costs 90 Afghanis. The economic situation of the people is bad.”
Majid, another shopkeeper, says they have not increased prices arbitrarily and that closed routes and the failure of goods to arrive are the main causes of the situation. He said: “The routes are closed, and goods are not coming. Even now, most Iranian products are not available in the market. One seer of sugar used to cost 300 Afghanis; now it has reached 520 Afghanis. We are also confused about what people should eat because everything has become expensive.”
Dil Agha, another shopkeeper, says that despite rising food prices, people are forced to buy basic goods at these high rates. According to him, in such conditions, neither shopkeepers make a clear profit nor do consumers have the ability to properly meet their basic needs.
He added, “Iranian goods have become very expensive because the routes are closed. A sack of rice costs us 3,560 Afghanis, so think about what price people buy from us. Sugar is 80 Afghanis per kilogram. In this situation, we cannot even make a profit. The goods we sell are in poor condition. Tomato paste is still available in shops, but it may reach 100 Afghanis in the future. Previously, we bought a carton of tomato paste for 900 to 960 Afghanis and sold it at the same price; now it costs us 980 to 1,000 Afghanis.”
Currently, macaroni, oil, fruits, and some small imported items from Iran are either scarce in Kabul markets or their prices have increased fourfold compared to before.
Previously, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that due to the war in Iran, the cost of essential food items in Afghanistan had increased by 6.8 percent, while transport costs had also risen by 20 percent.
The organization warned that the continuation of the energy crisis and disruptions in trade could further weaken the capacity to cope with economic problems and could intensify food insecurity in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is one of the countries that imports a major part of its essential needs from regional countries, and its domestic production does not fully meet demand. Iran, after the reduction or suspension of part of trade between the Taliban and Pakistan in the current year, has become one of the main supply routes for Afghanistan, a development that observers believe could directly affect the lives of millions of people.
The Taliban Ministry of Industry and Commerce previously said that the volume of trade with Iran in the first six months of the current year had reached more than 1.6 billion US dollars.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
