Livestock smuggled to Iran and Pakistan/Meat price doubled in Herat

As they said illegal smuggling of livestock to neighboring countries including Iran and Pakistan, is one of the main reasons behind the phenomenon.

Esmatullah, a butcher in Herat province told Raha News Agency that before the fall of the previous government, the price of mutton was about 350 AFs per kilo, but now it has risen to 500 AFs per kilo.

He added smuggling of sheep and goats to neighboring countries including Iran and Pakistan is as one of the main reasons for the price increase.

Esmatullah adds that many livestock are even transported from other provinces to Herat province, from where they are smuggled to neighboring countries.

Mohammad Nasser, another butcher in Herat province, also said goat meat was 270 AFs per kilo, but has recently risen to 400 AFs per kilo.

He adds, “Every day, about 10 to 20 trucks, full of cattle, estimated about 150 to 300 sheep or goats, are smuggled to neighboring countries from Ganj and Lang Bazaar in the 14th district of Herat city.”

He says the previous government nor the Islamic Emirate of Taliban has no institution to monitor and prevent the smuggling.

Abdullah, who has been working as a shepherd for six years, told Raha News Agency reporter in Herat he had heard some people to buy livestocks in lower price go to shepherds and smuggle them to neighboring countries.  

Ahmad Javed Rahimi, a citizen of Herat, says with the fall of the previous government there was an increase in food staff prices imported from the other countries and now with the increase in meat prices, this item has also been removed from the table-clothes. Afghan citizens cannot afford buying meat.

Mr. Rahimi, a construction worker, said ordinary citizens cannot pay for 400-to-500-AFs-per-kilo meat.  

He adds on the way home his wife and children had asked him to buy meat, but he couldn’t buy because of sharp rise in prices and low income of his.

“If cattle are going to be exported to neighboring countries, it must be done legally,” said Mohammad Azizi, a professor at Herat University.

He added the legal export of Afghan livestock to neighboring countries can help the country’s economy.

Despite many efforts, we could not reach the Taliban officials in Herat province regarding the issue.

However, some former officials in the local administration and Herat provincial council confirmed smuggling of livestock from Herat to neighboring countries, especially Iran.

It is worth mentioning that reports from previous years show that the daily consumption of livestock meat in Herat province reached 60 tons, but now the daily consumption of this province has reached to less than 20 tons due to increase in prices.