WFP: Afghan Unskilled Workers’ Purchasing Power Falls 25% in One Year

DID Press: The purchasing power of unskilled workers in Afghanistan fell by 25 percent in the first week of October compared with the same period last year, as declining employment opportunities, lower wages and rising food prices continued to put pressure on household incomes, according to a new report by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The WFP’s latest weekly market report found that unskilled workers secured an average of just two days of work per week, down 14 percent from a year earlier and 21 percent below the three-year average. Their average daily wage stood at 295 Afghanis, equivalent to approximately $4.50, representing a 5 percent decline compared with the previous year.

The combination of fewer working days, lower wages and higher food prices has significantly weakened workers’ ability to afford essential goods. According to the report, their real purchasing power was 25 percent lower than a year earlier and 30 percent below the three-year average.

Several staple foods remained more expensive than a year ago. The price of lower-cost Sholae rice increased by 31 percent, while Palawi rice rose by 17 percent. Cooking oil prices were up 12 percent, and wheat grain, low-cost wheat flour and sugar each recorded a 10 percent annual increase. Potatoes were 25 percent more expensive than in the same period last year.

The economic pressure is particularly severe for workers who depend on daily wages to meet their families’ basic needs. With employment increasingly difficult to find, even those who secure occasional work face difficulties covering food and other essential household expenses.

The WFP report highlights how declining access to work and persistently high living costs are constraining household purchasing power across Afghanistan. The findings point to continued economic hardship for families dependent on casual labour, despite relatively modest week-on-week changes in the prices of many commodities.