Taliban said Monday that Afghanistan now produces about 60% of its flour needs domestically, though many Afghans continue to struggle to afford daily food amid widespread poverty.
The office of the Taliban’s deputy chief minister for economic affairs said in a statement that Afghanistan requires around 6 million tons of flour annually. Of that, 3.5 million tons are produced inside the country.
According to the statement, about 200 flour factories currently operate nationwide, producing 1 million tons of flour annually, while the remainder is milled locally through small-scale operations. Taliban said approximately $150 million has been invested in the factories, which employ around 2,500 people.
To further support the sector, the Taliban said they have reduced tariffs on wheat imports.
Despite these claims, many Afghans say they cannot afford to meet basic food needs due to worsening poverty, hunger and unemployment since the Taliban regained power in 2021.
