In Kabul, meat sales plummet by 50 percent

KABUL (Pajhwok): Butchers in Kabul say meat sales have fallen by 50 percent compared to a month ago due to rising poverty and unemployment, urging the government to address economic problems of the masses.

Sales drop but prices unchanged

Zalmay Qasab, a butcher in Dahan-i-Bagh area, told Pajhwok Afghan News: “It is a month I have been without work. We don’t have any sales every day.”

He added: “A month ago, I was selling a cow and a sheep daily. But now sales have declined by almost 50 percent.”

After the Taliban’s takeover, most government and NGO offices were temporarily closed. Even some private firms had to be shut due to financial and security problems, leaving dozens of people jobless.

“I urge the government to pay the salaries of employees and work for improving security so that the people give a stable life,” Zalmay demanded.

The butcher explained there had been no major change in the price of meat. He sells a kilogram of beef for 450 afghanis and mutton for 480 afghanis and cow meat for 400 afghanis.

Abdul Ghaffar, another butcher shop in Kolola Pushta locality, confirmed: “Prices have been reasonable since the government change. But sales are down. God willing, this issue will also be resolved.”

The butcher recalled he used to sell 50 to 70 kilograms of meat a day previously. However, now his sales have slumped by50 percent.

He asked the authorities to prioritise alleviation of poverty and unemployment besides implementing effective economic programmes.

Poverty prevents meat purchase

Khalida, a resident of Kabul having five children, told Pajhwok: “For a month, we have not cooked mean because we cannot buy it.”

Her husband, a Ministry of Interior employee, has not received his salary for two months. As a result, they are faced with a cash shortage.

Khalida called on the government to enforce good economic programmes to eliminate unemployment and economic problems of the people.

Roohullah, a resident of Qala-i-Zaman Khan neighbourhood, said most of the people, including himself, were facing economic hardship.

“We cannot buy even vegetables, forget about meat. In my pocket, I have no more than one hundred afghanis,” he remarked.

Roohullah’s son, the sole breadwinner for his family of seven, has not been paid for two months.

sa/mud

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