KABUL, Afghanistan — Food prices in the country rose by 1.3 percent over the past month, according to the Taliban-controlled National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA). The agency reported sharp increases in key staples, with vegetable prices surging by 26 percent and sugar and sweets rising nearly 3 percent.
The price hikes come as the United Nations warns that 22.9 million Afghans are in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 12 million children. The crisis is compounded by high unemployment rates and a brutal winter gripping much of the country, worsening already dire living conditions.
Afghans have voiced growing alarm over the rising cost of food, citing their inability to afford basic necessities. “Prices keep going up, but there’s no work,” said a Kabul resident, who asked not to be named. “We’re barely surviving.”
The UN and aid agencies have repeatedly highlighted Afghanistan’s deteriorating humanitarian situation, which has left nearly two-thirds of the population dependent on aid. Limited access to employment, rising inflation, and extreme weather conditions have created a perfect storm of economic hardship.
Local and international aid organizations have called for increased support to address the immediate needs of the Afghan people. However, funding shortfalls and restrictions on international aid operations under the Taliban have hindered efforts to alleviate the crisis.
As food prices continue to climb, experts warn that without significant intervention, millions of Afghans could face even greater hardships in the months ahead.
