Farmers in Herat province say the price of agricultural supplies, particularly fertilizers, has risen sharply in recent days, increasing pressure on growers already struggling with economic hardship.
In Guzara district, farmers said the cost of an imported sack of fertilizer has climbed from about 5,000 Afghanis to 7,000 Afghanis (roughly $79 to $111). Prices of domestically produced fertilizers have also increased, rising by about 200 to 300 Afghanis (about $3 to $5) per sack, they said.
“Now one sack of chemical fertilizer costs around 7,000 Afghanis,” said Homayoun, a farmer in the district. “Even the ordinary fertilizers have increased by 200 to 300 Afghanis. Farmers do not have enough money to buy them, and if we buy only a small amount, we cannot achieve good results.”
Another farmer, Abdul Sattar, attributed the price increases partly to regional instability.
“Yes, the price of fertilizer has risen,” he said. “This is partly because of the conflict in Iran, and the fighting between the Taliban and Pakistan has also had an impact. In just the past few days, the price of each sack has increased by about 300 Afghanis.”
Some farmers in Herat accused traders of taking advantage of the situation by raising prices despite having existing stock in storage.
“The rise in prices of agricultural supplies and food has been linked to tensions in Iran,” said Faqir Ahmad, another farmer. “But some traders are using this as an excuse to sell goods they already have in warehouses at higher prices.”
Local residents say the price increases come at a difficult time, as rising unemployment has pushed more people to rely on farming for income.
With agricultural inputs becoming more expensive, farmers worry that the rising costs could reduce crop production and further strain livelihoods in western Afghanistan.
