ISLAMABAD: Afghan traders are warning that food supplies in local markets could run out by April if the Afghan Taliban continue forcing traders to sell essential goods below market prices, amid import disruptions.
Several local Afghan media outlets reported that traders said continued pressure on food imports and supply routes could sharply reduce the availability of essential goods across markets.
Khan Jan Alokozay, a board member of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said traders may halt imports if forced by Taliban authorities to sell goods below market prices despite rising costs.
“If traders are forced to sell goods cheaply, they will stop importing food items,” Alokozay said in comments reported by Afghan media outlets.
Humanitarian agencies say these warnings come as Afghanistan faces one of the world’s most severe food crises.
The World Food Programme says worsening economic conditions, climate shocks, and disruptions to regional trade are deepening food insecurity across the country.
According to United Nations estimates, about 17.4 million people in Afghanistan are projected to face crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity in 2026.
Afghanistan relies heavily on imported food, particularly wheat flour and cooking oil, leaving markets vulnerable to disruptions in cross-border trade and regional instability.
Aid agencies warn that continued supply disruptions could further strain food availability and worsen the humanitarian crisis in the coming months.
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