Concerns have been raised by residents of several provinces in Afghanistan over the increase in food prices with the arrival of the month of Ramadan. They say they have faced a rise in the cost of food items at the beginning of Ramadan while most people are unemployed. According to the country’s residents, the spread of poverty and hunger, unemployment, and lack of employment opportunities are putting the people of Afghanistan at serious risk, and shopkeepers and merchants must show flexibility in this regard and prevent raising the prices of food items due to high demand. These residents say that many people in various parts of Afghanistan are familiar only with the names of food items and spend their days only with dry bread and tea.
One of the residents of Kabul, who wants to remain anonymous in the report, says that at the beginning of Ramadan, food prices have doubled. He adds that tomatoes have increased from 50 to 75 Afghanis per kilogram. This Kabul resident states, “Eggplants have increased from 40 to 80 Afghanis, a pack of date has gone from 70 Afghanis to over 100 Afghanis, 5 kilograms of onions from 150 Afghanis to 250 Afghanis, and 5 kilograms of potatoes from 120 Afghanis to 180 Afghanis.”
These rates vary in different provinces, and in some provinces, there has been a continuous increase in prices. Some residents of Bamyan have expressed concerns about the ongoing increase in the prices of food items. One of the residents of Bamyan told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that a 16-liter oil canister has increased from 1310 Afghanis to 1330 Afghanis one day before Ramadan, a bag of flour from 1600 to 1630 Afghanis, and the price of 5 kilograms of kidney beans has increased from 800 to 830 Afghanis.
This comes as the Ministry of Industry and Commerce under Taliban control has released a price list of 29 essential commodities in Kabul city. In this price list, the prices have been set as follows: Afghan flour per 49-kilogram sack at 1450 Afghanis, Kazakh flour per 50-kilogram sack at 1550 Afghanis, Russian liquid oil per 3 bottles (15 liters) at 1160 Afghanis, Pakistani polished rice per 24.5-kilogram sack at 1800 Afghanis, potatoes per kilogram at 25 Afghanis, onions per kilogram at 30 Afghanis, and tomatoes per kilogram at 30 Afghanis.
On the contrary, residents in the country urge traders to lower prices of essential goods during Ramadan, yet they observe a contrary trend as prices are raised, posing challenges for fasting individuals. Afghan residents highlight that traders and shopkeepers hike prices alongside the surge in demand during Ramadan.
Eid Mohammad, a resident of Kabul, says, “Ramadan has not started yet, but prices have risen. If this situation continues, we will witness an excessive increase in the prices of food items.” He states that currently, the majority of residents suffer from unemployment and poverty and cannot afford to put a loaf of bread on the table for their children during Ramadan.
Azizullah, residing in Balkh province, explains that the combination of a dire economic situation and soaring food prices has prevented him from acquiring Ramadan essentials. He shares that he goes hungry from morning till evening due to the inability to afford meals, leaving dinner tables empty and unable to provide for his children.
According to the country’s residents, although people cannot afford to buy food items, contrary to other Islamic countries, shopkeepers significantly raise prices during the month of Ramadan. They claim that many families in the country have nothing for Iftar and Suhoor.
Abdul Ahmad, a resident of Ghazni province, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, says that due to unemployment and poverty, besides a piece of dry bread and a cup of tea, they have nothing else to eat. He adds, “During Ramadan and beyond, we have nothing except dry bread and tea. Some don’t even have this dry bread. We only know the names of meat, oil, and rice but cannot afford them; we haven’t eaten them ourselves.”
However, Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the Taliban Prime Minister, in a message marking the beginning of the month of Ramadan, has urged shopkeepers and traders in Afghanistan not to raise the prices of food and essential items during this month. He also requested in a statement from Taliban authorities to “take action” in case of any violations. In his message, he called upon wealthy individuals in the country to assist needy families during Ramadan.
This message comes as in recent days, many street vendors in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Taloqan complained about forced tax collection by Taliban members. According to their claims, Taliban fighters extort vendors under various pretexts and harass them.
António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has stated on the occasion of the arrival of the month of Ramadan that many people in various countries, including Afghanistan, spend this month in crisis, fear, and displacement.
While the country’s citizens complain about the increase in the prices of essential goods during Ramadan, unemployment, poverty, and hunger have also unprecedentedly spread. The Taliban’s restrictions on women, the flight of investors, stagnation in small businesses, and the lack of employment opportunities have led thousands in the country to face unemployment.
The World Bank stated last year that with the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan, the unemployment rate has doubled. The bank has described the level of unemployment among youth and women as alarming. Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stated that Afghanistan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and is on the brink of systematic collapse and humanitarian catastrophe. In the current year, 23.7 million people, 52% of whom are women and girls, require humanitarian assistance. The institution further added that many humanitarian aid programs in Afghanistan are at risk due to budget shortages.
These concerns arise as some citizens strongly criticize the Taliban’s intervention and control over the distribution process of humanitarian aid in the country. According to their claims, those not affiliated with the Taliban rarely benefit from humanitarian aid.
On the other hand, the World Bank, in its recently published annual report, has reported a depreciation of the Afghan currency against foreign currencies. The bank’s report states: “With the start of 2024, the trend for the Afghan currency changed, decreasing against all major currencies. By the end of February, it had decreased by 5.4% against the US dollar, 5% against the euro, 13% against the Chinese yuan, 5.2% against the Indian rupee, and 6.3% against the Pakistani rupee.”
