Sugar price up in Kabul

KABUL’s capital, while rates of other daily-use commodities stayed unchanged during the outgoing week, retailers said on Thursday.

A 50 kilogram bag of Brazilian sugar cost for 2,150 afs, up almost 5 percent from last week’s price of 2,050 afs, said Food Traders Union head, Haji Fazlul Rahman. He linked the increase to a shortage of the commodity in the market.

Rahman added that a 50 kg sack of Pakistani flour sold for 940 afs and the same amount of Pakistian rice cost 2,300 afs. A 5 kg can of Spin Ghar ghee cost 380 afs, 1 kg of African back tea 185 afs and the same amount of Indonesian green tea 155 afs.

The wholesale rates of food items varied from their retail prices in some parts of the city.

Shopkeeper Mohammad Sadiq in the Kalola Pushta locality said he sold a 50-kg sack of Pakistani flour for 1,030 afs, the same amount of Pakistani rice cost 2,600 afs and 50 kg of Brazilian sugar 2,450afs.

A five kg cane of Spin Ghar ghee sold at 410 afs, a kg of African back tea at 200 afs and the same amount of Indonesian green tea at 180 afs, he said.

A kilogram of gas sold for 45 afs, the same price as last week, according to a dealer, Shams-ul-Haq, in the Taimani neighbourhood.

Petrol and diesel prices stayed stable at 58 afs a litre, said Noorullah, pump station owner in Salim Karwan area.

Abdul Baseer, a jeweller in the Lyce Maryam neighbourhood, said the price of one gram of Arabian gold was 2,000 afs, while the Iranian variety sold for 1,600 afs, the same as last week.

Moneychanger Mohammad Amin Jan Khosti said the buying rate of a US dollar was 46.90 afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees 545 afs. Last week’s exchange value of a greenback stood at 46.48 afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 539 afs.

myn/ma/at