Pakistan-Afghanistan border closures trigger sharp rise in food prices like tomatoes, trade losses mount

Crossings along the 2,600-km (1,600-mile) frontier have been sealed since October 11, after ground skirmishes and Pakistani airstrikes killed dozens in the worst violence since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021.

“All trade and transit have been blocked since the fighting erupted,” Reuters reported, quoting Khan Jan Alokozay, head of the Pak-Afghan Chamber of Commerce in Kabul. “With each passing day, both sides are losing around $1 million.”

The trade blockade has disrupted the $2.3 billion annual exchange between the two nations, which includes fresh produce, minerals, medicines, and food staples.

Tomato prices in Pakistan have surged by over 400%, reaching around 600 Pakistani rupees ($2.13) per kilogram, while the cost of apples and other fruits imported from Afghanistan has also spiked, according to reports.

“We have around 500 containers of vegetables for export daily, all of which have spoiled,” Reuters reported, quoting Alokozay, adding that roughly 5,000 containers are stranded at border points like Torkham.

A Pakistani border official confirmed to the media that there were shortages of tomatoes, apples, and grapes in local markets. Islamabad’s commerce ministry has yet to issue a statement.

The clashes began after Pakistan accused the Taliban government of failing to curb cross-border militant attacks launched from Afghan soil, a charge Kabul denies.

Although a ceasefire brokered last weekend in Qatar and Turkey is holding, border trade remains suspended. The next round of negotiations is set for October 25 in Istanbul.