RASC News Agency: Owners of several furniture workshops in Herat Province report a significant decline in orders for furniture and furnishings. They attribute this downturn to the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan, which has plunged the economy, particularly in Herat, into stagnation.
Omid, the owner of a furniture workshop in Herat, told RASC News Agency on Friday, May 24th, that the number of orders for furniture has dropped markedly. He explained that many urban families who could afford such luxuries have left Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power. Currently, the majority of residents in Herat and western Afghanistan are from rural areas, Omid continued. Overall, the economic situation in Herat is dire, with many furniture workshops shutting down due to unemployment and the lack of job opportunities, Omid noted.
Similarly, Khalid, another furniture workshop owner in Herat, told RASC News Agency that out of his ten apprentices, only two remain due to the lack of demand and orders. He warned that if the current situation persists, he will be forced to close his workshop and let go of his remaining apprentices. Khalid added that the combination of widespread poverty and rising prices has severely impacted all segments of society. He suggested that if the Taliban could provide economic assistance to small business owners like other Asian countries, Afghanistan would not be facing such a severe economic crisis.
Qader Hashemi, a resident of Herat, informed RASC News Agency that the cost of a set of furniture exceeds 20,000 kabuli rupees. He remarked that in the current market, 20,000 kabuli rupees hold the value that 200,000 kabuli rupees once did, solving numerous problems for residents. Hashemi noted that under Taliban rule, people have lost interest in purchasing home furnishings, unwilling to invest in their homes given the current regime. He added that in the past, there was the energy and motivation to buy numerous items for their homes, but such an atmosphere is impossible under the Taliban’s control.
The Taliban in Herat have not yet implemented any economic plans to address these issues or support the small business sector.
