Coinciding with the Taliban’s claim of Afghanistan’s self-sufficiency in chicken meat production, citizens are complaining about the rising price of this food item in the market, saying that Taliban policies and claims about economic progress have not yet created any noticeable change on people’s tables and have mostly been slogans and propaganda. They are calling for a review of the growth in poultry farms, the factors affecting chicken meat prices, and the reasons behind the continued high prices in the country’s markets. Meanwhile, a number of sellers say that Taliban officials’ claims of Afghanistan’s self-sufficiency in chicken meat and egg production do not match the reality of the market.
Hekmat (pseudonym), a resident of Kabul, says that the Taliban periodically announce that Afghanistan has achieved self-sufficiency in chicken meat production and no longer needs to import it from abroad. However, he says, when people go to butcher shops to buy chicken meat, they do not find it at a low price.
This Kabul resident adds: “When this self-sufficiency cannot have a positive effect on the price, what use is it? For a citizen, what matters is being able to obtain goods from the market at a low price that matches their economic capacity and income.” According to him, before the announcement of self-sufficiency in chicken meat production, people used to buy each kilogram of chicken meat for 230 to 240 afghanis, but now they have to pay 280 afghanis for one kilogram.
Hekmat adds: “So it can be seen that the policies and claims about economic progress, rather than creating any change on people’s tables, are mostly slogans and propaganda for themselves.”
Gul Ahmad, a resident of Kabul’s seventh district, also complains about the rising price of chicken meat and eggs. He says: “In the past, one kilogram of chicken meat was 160 to 180 afghanis, but now it has reached 270 to 280 afghanis. A tray of eggs also used to cost 180 to 210 afghanis in the past, but now it has reached 290 to 300 afghanis. Prices have risen very high, and people have been left with no choice.”
Fattah (pseudonym), a resident of Kabul’s tenth district, says the considerable gap between the production price and the market selling price of chicken meat makes it all the more necessary to closely examine the state of the market and the factors affecting prices.
This Kabul resident says: “The price of chicken meat in the market remains high, and so far no noticeable decrease in its price has been observed. This situation has created economic hardships, especially for low-income families, and has increased their concerns.”
Fattah adds: “Taliban officials should seriously examine the growth in poultry farms and the reasons why chicken meat prices remain high, and should assess the factors affecting its price, including production costs, the price of chicken feed, imports, transportation, wholesale trade, the role of intermediaries, and how prices are determined in the market. Also, if overpricing or abuse of the market situation is observed, the necessary legal and regulatory measures should be taken so that chicken meat can be supplied to people at a reasonable price.”
Meanwhile, Abed (pseudonym), one of the sellers, says that Taliban officials’ claims of Afghanistan’s self-sufficiency in chicken meat and egg production do not match the reality of the market. According to him, at times they cannot even secure enough chicken to sell in their butcher shop.
This seller adds: “The price of one kilogram of chicken meat ranges from 250 to 280 afghanis, and a tray of eggs sells for 280 to 300 afghanis. Previously, when chicken meat and eggs were imported from outside the country, prices were lower and worked out more affordably for us as well. At that time, even low-income families could afford to buy chicken meat, but now, given the rise in prices, many people cannot afford it.
This comes as poverty and hunger have intensified in Afghanistan over more than five years of Taliban rule. Humanitarian aid and assistance sent by citizens of Afghanistan living abroad to their families are also cited as factors sustaining the country’s fragile economic situation.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
خودکفایی ادعایی طالبان در تولید گوشت مرغ؛ قیمتها همچنان برای مردم بلند است
