Prices of basic food items have risen sharply in parts of western Afghanistan after imports from Iran were halted amid ongoing unrest there, traders and residents said.
Shopkeepers in several western provinces say the cost of staple goods has increased noticeably over the past three days. A sack of rice, they said, has risen by about 300 to 500 Afghanis ($4.75 to $7.95), while the price of a five-liter container of cooking oil has climbed by 200 to 300 Afghanis ($3.17 to $4.76). Prices of legumes have also increased.
On Wednesday, March 4, a sack of high-quality rice was selling for 3,600 to 3,700 Afghanis ($57 to $58.70), compared with 3,000 to 3,100 Afghanis ($47.60 to $49.20) a week earlier. A five-liter bottle of Iranian cooking oil reached 590 Afghanis ($9.37), up from about 500 Afghanis ($7.94) last week.
Shopkeepers said the increases were even higher in smaller retail stores than in wholesale markets.
“Prices have risen suddenly in the past few days,” said Musa, a shopkeeper in Ghor Province. “We sell at the same price we buy, but people cannot afford to purchase as much.”
Traders in western Afghanistan also reported increases in the prices of lentils, chickpeas and beans. In markets in Herat, a kilogram of beans was selling for about 120 Afghanis ($1.90), compared with 90 to 100 Afghanis ($1.43 to $1.59) last week. Lentils rose to 95 Afghanis ($1.51) per kilogram, from about 70 Afghanis ($1.11), while chickpeas increased by 15 to 20 Afghanis (about $0.24 to $0.32) per kilogram.
“Almost all food items have become more expensive,” said Azizullah, another shopkeeper in Ghor. “Customers complain, but we also buy from wholesalers at higher prices.”
Residents say the price hikes are worsening the financial strain on families already facing high unemployment and economic hardship.
“With unemployment so widespread, these new prices are very difficult for us,” said Faqir Ahmad, a resident of Ghor. “If this continues, life will become even harder for many families.”
The price increases come after Iranian authorities said this week that, because of domestic demand, the country would temporarily halt food exports.
The disruption has had an outsized impact on western Afghanistan, where markets depend heavily on imports from Iran. Traders also note that Afghanistan’s crossings with Pakistan have been closed for more than four months, further limiting supply routes.
With fewer imports and limited local production, residents say the cost of living in western Afghanistan is rising at a time when many households are already struggling to meet basic needs.
