After the closure of the Pakistan border, which was Afghanistan’s largest source of chicken meat imports, the price of chicken in the country’s markets increased significantly. Some residents of Balkh told Salam Watandar that with the halt of chicken meat imports from Pakistan, the price of one kilogram reached as high as 320 Afghanis.
Hamed, a resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, the center of Balkh province, said, “When the route to Pakistan closes, the price of chicken meat rises sharply. We now buy one kilogram for up to 320 Afghanis. We cannot afford meat from other animals, so chicken remains the most economical option. We urge the government to take action to control prices.”
Jamshid, another resident of Mazar-i-Sharif, said, “Local meat is high-quality and healthy because it is raised inside the country, and we know what feed is used. It is also more enjoyable. These established farms can, alongside the country’s economic development, greatly help families like ours.”
Some chicken sellers in Balkh also noted that with the establishment and expansion of chick production factories in the province, market conditions have improved. Currently, the price of one kilogram of chicken meat has dropped to 220 Afghanis.
Shafiqullah, a chicken seller in Mazar-i-Sharif, said, “The newly established farms, along with those built in the past, have a great impact on chicken meat prices. If we relied on Pakistan, one kilogram would cost over 300 Afghanis; now, the price in the city is 220 Afghanis.”
Officials of some chick production factories in Balkh emphasize that if imports of chicken meat and chicks from other countries are restricted, they can meet the province’s demand and even export to other provinces.
Najibullah Malgaray, head of a chick production factory in Balkh, said, “Even today, our production is being distributed. Our chicks are in demand in the eastern provinces, and we also supply Balkh and Samangan. Public demand is being met to some extent. We request the government to block routes from Pakistan and other borders through which chicken meat is imported.”
Meanwhile, officials at the Balkh Directorate of Industry and Commerce emphasize the importance of supporting domestic investors. They argue that such investments increase domestic production capacity, ensure a sustainable food supply, reduce the need for imports, stabilize prices, and strengthen the country’s economy.
Nasir Ahmad Niaz, Deputy of the Balkh Directorate of Industry and Commerce, told Salam Watandar, “The Balkh Directorate of Industry and Commerce, in coordination with relevant agencies, supports domestic investment by facilitating the licensing process, backing local production, encouraging investors, and providing an appropriate legal and administrative framework. By offering suitable land in industrial parks, legal and administrative support, access to energy and infrastructure, encouragement for investors, and support for the sales market, we can expand factories like these.”
Despite the running of six chick production factories in Balkh, chicken meat and chicks are still imported into Afghanistan from Uzbekistan and Iran. Nevertheless, this promising trend, combined with government and investor support, can be an important step toward self-sufficiency in the chick production industry and stabilizing meat prices in the country’s markets.
Reporter: Sebghatullah Toraan
