Afghanistan is ready to celebrate Aidiladha despite facing economic challenges

KABUL: Like Muslims around the world, the people of Afghanistan are preparing to celebrate Aidiladha by sacrificing animals and distributing the meat to those in need.

According to the announcement of the authorities on Saturday night, Aidiladha will be celebrated on June 17.

However, high rates of unemployment and poverty have drastically reduced the purchasing power of the Afghan people, making it difficult for them to perform sacrificial rituals.

“I wandered in the market but could not buy a goat because of the high price. With the increasing price, no one can afford to buy,” said Rahmatullah, a resident of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul.

Rahmatullah, 28, tried to buy a goat to sacrifice on the first day of Aidiladha.

“In the past, we used to buy a goat for 16,000 or 17,000 afghani (about US$229 to US$243), but this year the price has reached 19,000 to 20,000 afghani.

“The economic situation in Afghanistan is getting worse. People are facing economic difficulties due to unemployment and Afghanistan’s poor economy,” said Rahmatullah.

Meanwhile, livestock supplier Khan Mohammad also voiced concern over the low demand and low income rate as the number of customers did not meet his expectations.

Mohammad bought 22 cows from the village to sell in Kabul ahead of Aidiladha, but demand for the livestock was low.

“I pay 70,000 afghani for each cow, but buyers only want to pay 60,000 to 65,000 afghani. I am at a loss,” Mohammad, 35, told Xinhua.

The livestock supplier claimed that he only managed to sell five cows during the past week, while last year, before the festival, he sold 10 to 12 cows every day.

According to aid agency reports, the people of Afghanistan are facing a critical shortage of food and are in dire need of humanitarian aid.

About a quarter of the population in Afghanistan goes to bed hungry every night, the World Food Program office in Afghanistan said on Friday.