Farmers Struggle with Market Challenges; Low Prices, High Costs, and Limited Export Opportunities

Farmers who have brought their products from various provinces to Kabul for sale are complaining about the lack of a suitable market.

The farmers told TOLOnews that low prices, high transportation costs, and the absence of a market have posed significant challenges for them.

Jan Agha, who brought his melons from Kunduz to Kabul, said he spent over 50,000 Afghani on his land but has not yet recovered the money due to the lack of a market.

Jan Agha told a TOLOnews reporter: “The cost of transporting each 7 kilograms of melons is 30 afghani, and now it sells for 40 afghani; only 10 afghani remain for us. This amount does not even cover the costs of our year-long labor. We sell the large melons for 90 afghani and the smaller ones for 40 afghani, which leaves us with no profit.”

Habibullah, another farmer from Kunduz, said: “Watermelons sell for 40 or 50 afghani in Kabul, which does not cover our expenses. There are many problems along the way, and the Ministry of Agriculture makes promises to us but does not fulfill them.”

Some farmers criticize the challenges they face in exporting agricultural products, adding that the lack of a market and high costs have prevented them from even recovering the transportation costs of their products to Kabul.

Mohammad Ghayas, another farmer, said: “We don’t have a proper market for our agricultural products.

Our main market should be towards Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, but unfortunately, those countries do not buy from us. Pakistan, which does buy from us, has problems; customs duties are high, and the routes are closed.”

Another farmer, Ismail, said: “They should solve our problems and save us from these challenges. The problems we face when transporting products, from high rental costs to rough roads, prevent us from even recovering our expenses.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock talks about efforts to provide facilities and create a market for agricultural products.

Misbahuddin Mustaeen, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, told TOLOnews: “The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock is trying to work with traders to increase the export of agricultural products so that farmers can earn more income from selling their products.”

This comes as some farmers say that this year, due to the lack of markets both inside and outside the country, the shortage of cold storage facilities, and other trade challenges with neighboring countries, a large portion of their produce has spoiled.