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September 5, 2008 11:40:02 PM CDT

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Afghans Facing Food Crisis

Posted Jan 6, 08 5:28 AM CST in World 

(Newser) – Afghanistan is facing a critical food shortage and is appealing to the world to send extra wheat, the BBC reports. "The situation is serious," warned the nation's commerce minister. Afghanistan relies on food imports, and the rising price of grain on world markets is triggering a national hardship. In some places, the price of a loaf of bread has quadrupled. Unrest in Pakistan means wheat shipments from there have also been cut.

The country's violence-torn south is particularly hard hit. Fighting makes it especially difficult for aid to get through, and many local wheat farmers have switched to growing the more lucrative opium poppies. "Food prices have gone up and no one can afford to buy all the food they need," said a resident of troubled Helmand province.

Source BBC

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Afghan women wait behind a fence for donation of food to be provided by the World Food Program (WFP) in Kabul, Afghanistan. The country's commerce minister has appealed for the international community...   (Associated Press)
An Afghan disabled man collects his food stuff after they were donated by the Canadian soldiers, part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), during a food distribution at the Canadian's...   (Associated Press)
An Afghan farmer collects resin from poppies on a opium poppy field. Many farmers in Afghanistan have switched from growing wheat to growing far more lucrative opium poppies, worsening the country's food...   (Associated Press)
A refugee from Helmand province on the outskirts of Afghanistan, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007. Continued fighting and farmers switching to opium means food shortages are especially severe in Helmand. (AP Photo/Rafiq...   (Associated Press)
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Afghanistan  • food shortage  • Helmand province  • opium  • wheat prices


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