Prices for essential goods in Turkmenistan have surged after cross-border imports from neighboring Iran sharply declined, disrupting a trade flow that many local markets depend on.

Retailers and consumers in the capital, Ashgabat, say the normally active trade route with Iran has been severely affected following recent strikes by Israel and the US on Iranian territory, The Caspian Post reports via foreign media.

Iran has long been a key supplier of everyday goods to Turkmenistan, a largely desert country of about seven million people whose economy relies heavily on natural gas exports-primarily to China. Iranian shipments typically include a wide range of items, from fruits and vegetables to construction materials and cigarettes.

“Stocks are running out quickly, and new deliveries are not arriving. The outlook is unclear and uncertain,” Aman, a building materials trader in Ashgabat, said. He said Iranian products are now being sold 50-70% more expensive than before.

At Ashgabat’s local bazaars, prices for staple foods imported from Iran-including potatoes, cucumbers, and fruit-have doubled, adding pressure on households as supply shortages begin to spread across markets.