Cement prices in Kabul have risen by up to 300 afghanis ($4.5) as the closure of major border crossings with Pakistan enters its second month, vendors and residents said.
Vendors told Amu that the price of a 50-kg bag of cement has climbed from about 400 afghanis to nearly 700 afghanis (around $10.5), driven by supply disruptions after crossings such as Torkham and Spin Boldak were shut amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Taliban.
“Because the Torkham crossing is closed, cement prices have gone up. Many people can no longer afford it, and construction work has dropped sharply,” said Wafiullah, a Kabul resident.
Najibullah, a cement seller, said prices for Iranian and Turkmen cement had also increased. “Rates have gone up due to the border closure and people don’t have the economic ability to continue construction,” he said.
Part of Afghanistan’s cement supply is produced locally, but the majority is imported from Turkmenistan, Iran and Pakistan.
Construction workers in Kabul say the surge in prices has worsened an already weak labour market. “Work has completely disappeared,” said Mohammad Karim, a labourer. “Before, we found work for a day or two each week. Now there’s been no work for months.”
All major Afghanistan-Pakistan crossings have been closed for nearly two months following a rise in cross-border tensions, disrupting trade and pushing up the cost of essential goods in Afghan markets.
