Sugar, flour down, gold up in Kabul

KABUL): Prices of sugar and flour edged down, while the gold rate increased during the outgoing week in Kabul, retailers said on Thursday.

Abdul Baseer, a jeweler in the Lecce-i-Maryam neighbourhood, put the rate of one gram of Arabian gold at 2,300 afghanis ($46.4) and the Iranian variety at 1,900afs.

Each variety saw an increase of 50afs per gram, compared to their last week’s rates, said Baseer, who linked the surge to international market trends. Last week, Arabian gold sold for 2,250afs and Iranian for 1850afs.

Food Traders’ Union head, Fazal Rahman, said the price of a 50 kilogram sugar sack decreased from 2,160afs to 2,050afs and the rate of Pakistani flour fell from 1,010afs to 990afs.

Prices of other food items remained stable, with a 50-kg bag of Pakistani rice selling for 2,500afs, a five-kg tin of Spin Ghar ghee for 410afs, a kilo of black tea for 190afs and green tea for 160afs.

But wholesale prices varied from retail rates in some parts of the city. Shukrullah, a shopkeeper in the Qala-i-Fathullah locality, sold a 50-kg sack of Pakistani rice for 2,700afs and a 50-kg bag of Brazilian sugar for 2,250afs.

He said the same amount of Pakistani flour cost 1,120afs; a five-kg tin of ghee 460afs, a kg of African back tea 200afs and the Indonesian green tea 190afs.

Prices of fuel also remained unchanged, with one litre of diesel costing 66 afghanis and petrol 62afs, a filling station worker in the Taimani neighbourhood said.

Liquefied gas seller Syed Shafiq told Pajhwok Afghan News one kilo cost for 60afs. But at the 30 government-run shops, a kilo of liquefied gas accounted for 55afs.

A firewood stall owner in the Qala-i-Fathullah neighbourhood, Jan Mohammad, said the price of 560 kg of pealed oak was 6,300afs — the same as last week.

Moneychanger Mohammad Amin Khosti said the buying rate of a US dollar was 49.50afs, while 1,000 Pakistani rupees accounted for 546afs. Last week’s exchange value of the greenback stood at 49.43afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 543afs.

frm/mud