Ataullah Omari, acting Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, said Kabul is negotiating with Moscow for the import of wheat and other essential commodities.
Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, he noted that although Afghanistan is approaching self-sufficiency in wheat production, the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel could negatively impact trade between Tehran and Kabul.
Omari stated: “Russia annually exports wheat and flour to us. We previously met with the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation and discussed this matter. We requested that Russia provide wheat instead of flour. We also held talks about other products imported annually from Russia. Hopefully, this process will continue smoothly, and we will move forward step-by-step in the future.”
According to Omari, Afghanistan is striving to achieve food self-sufficiency following the withdrawal of foreign forces.
He added: “In the wheat production sector, we have worked over the past four years—since the withdrawal of US forces—to meet our own food needs domestically.”
The acting agriculture minister also expressed concern over the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, warning that the continuation of this war could have adverse consequences for Afghanistan.
He emphasized that Afghanistan still imports part of its goods from Iran, and a prolonged conflict could negatively affect bilateral trade.
Ataullah Omari said: “Any harm that occurs there is in no way pleasant for our people, especially considering the large number of our migrants living there. They are our brothers, and we are not content with anyone’s suffering.”
Although Afghanistan sources most of its raw materials from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Malaysia, the military escalation between Israel and Iran has led to market fluctuations in Afghanistan.
Reports indicate that prices of some basic goods—such as flour, rice, and cooking oil—have risen by 150 to 300 afghani in recent weeks.