Afghanistan's Book Industry Facing Crisis as Publishers Battle Bankruptcy
Decline in the Book Market
During the republic's Government rule, the book printing and selling market in Afghanistan was expanding, with the number of private libraries in large cities increasing. However, in the last two years, the book market has lost its prosperity, with most book publishers now at risk of bankruptcy due to the non-printing and sales of books.
Sharp Fall in Sales
The pandemic and the fall of the republic have also contributed to the decline of book sales, which have decreased by 90%. Ahmad Saeed, the head of the Afghanistan Publishers Union, said that 10% of magazines have closed, while 50% are facing financial issues.
Government Libraries Also Suffering
The government's public libraries, which operate under the Ministry of Information and Culture, have also seen a 20% drop in visitors in the last two years. There are currently 95 public libraries, with only 10 in six districts and four districts of Kabul providing services to citizens with 120,000 books.
Bookstores and Publishers Facing Closure
There are over 200 publishers and 550 bookstores in Afghanistan, some of which have closed down in the last two years, and others are at risk of going bankrupt. The publishers' union of Afghanistan suggests that the existing situation is worrying for the book publishing market in the country.
Neglecting the Value of Books
Despite the crisis in the book industry, experts highlight widespread neglect of the value of books and lack of focus on education institutions as significant gaps that need addressing to revive the book publishing industry in Afghanistan.