Food Prices Surge Over 4 Percent Amid Economic Strain in Afghanistan: Report
Food prices in Afghanistan surged over four percent in December 2025, driven by rising costs of grains, vegetables, oil, and ongoing trade disruptions with Pakistan.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-run Central Statistics and Information Authority reported that food prices increased by 4.2 percent in the month of December 2025, reflecting rising costs across the country’s markets.
Grain prices rose by 3.5 percent, cooking oil by 13.9 percent, and vegetables by 29 percent. Non-food items also saw increases, including clothing by 3.1 percent and healthcare and treatment costs by 17.2 percent.
The authority said that monthly inflation in December reached 2.8 percent, primarily driven by the rising prices of both food and non-food items. Year-on-year inflation for the same month rose 9.6 percent compared to last year.
Afghanistan faces deep economic challenges, with a recent UN report showing that nearly 75 percent of the population is unemployed and around 90 percent live below the poverty line. Economic hardship continues to drive inflation and scarcity across the country.
Analysts say the high unemployment rate and widespread poverty exacerbate the impact of rising prices, leaving millions of families struggling to afford basic necessities.
Border closures with Pakistan, which have lasted more than three months, have blocked trade routes, restricting imports and pushing up domestic prices. Afghan traders report that goods worth $6–6.5 billion are currently stranded at ports and border crossings.
Officials warn that over 11,500 shipping containers of Afghanistan imports are stuck in Pakistan, with many at risk of spoilage or expiration, costing Afghan and Pakistani traders approximately $2 million daily.
Economists note that unless trade routes reopen and economic reforms are implemented, inflation and shortages will likely worsen, further straining households already facing extreme poverty.
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