Border closures between Pakistan and Afghanistan have pushed up the prices of essential goods in both nations, with tomatoes now costing five times more in Pakistan since fighting broke out between the two South Asian neighbors this month.
Border crossings between the two countries have remained closed since October 11 following ground fighting and Pakistani airstrikes across their disputed 2,600 km (1,600 mile) border that killed dozens on both sides in the worst fighting since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021.
All trade and transit have been blocked since the fighting broke out, Khan Jan Alokozay, the head of the Pak-Afghan Chamber of Commerce in Kabul, told Reuters on Thursday.
“Every day that goes by, both sides are losing about $1 million,” he said.
Fresh fruit, vegetables, minerals, medicine, wheat, rice, sugar, meat and dairy products make up most of the $2.3 billion annual trade volume between the two countries.
The prices of tomatoes, widely used in Pakistani cooking, have risen by over 400% to around Rs 600 or ($2.13) per bushel. kilograms. Apples, which come mainly from Afghanistan, are also experiencing a price increase.
“We have about 500 containers of vegetables for export daily, all of which are spoiled,” Alokozay said.
About 5,000 containers of goods are stranded on both sides of the border, a Pakistani official said at Torkham, the main border crossing in northwestern Pakistan.
He said there was already a shortage of tomatoes, apples and grapes in the market.
Pakistan’s commerce ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
The border clashes were sparked after Islamabad demanded that Kabul control militants who attack Pakistan across their shared border, saying they were operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan. The Taliban have denied the charge.
A ceasefire was agreed at talks held by Qatar and Turkey last weekend and is holding between the two sides, but border trade remains closed. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for October 25 in Istanbul.
