Residents of Nad Ali district in southern Helmand Province say that deepening poverty has left them unable to cover even the most basic living expenses, as shopkeepers and butchers describe a collapse in demand.
At the district bazaar, Lal Mohammad, a grocer, said his customers now buy only the smallest quantities. “People come to purchase one kilo of flour or half a kilo of rice,” he said. “They cannot afford more than that.”
Butchers echoed the same concern, saying that even sheep heads and trotters — among the cheapest cuts — were going unsold. “Sometimes we are forced to throw them away,” said Raj Wali, a butcher.
Residents said they rarely eat meat, turning instead to vegetables like squash and tomatoes. “If the children insist, we might buy half a kilo of cheap meat once a week,” said Attaullah, a father of five.
The United Nations estimates that nearly 23 million Afghans now require humanitarian assistance, with aid groups citing a lack of jobs and dwindling international support as key drivers of the crisis.
In Helmand, one of Afghanistan’s poorest provinces, families say the squeeze has left them struggling to meet even the most basic needs.
