Sugar, fuel prices down in Kabul this week

KABUL (Pajhwok): The prices of sugar and fuel dropped while of other commodities remained steady during the past week in Kabul, market sources said on Saturday.

Abdul Hadi, a worker at Wazir Abad Pump Station, told Pajhwok Afghan News the price of a litre of diesel decreased to 41afs against last Saturday's 42afs and the same amount of petrol from 35afs to 34afs due to the increased fuel imports.

Gas prices remained steady. Ahmad Javed, a gas seller at 4th street in Taimani area of Kabul, confirmed the rate of gas remained steady at 50afs per kilo, the same as of last week’s.

In food items only the sugar rate went down. Food Traders Union head Fazal Rahman said the whole sale price of 49-kg sugar sack dipped from 2,250afs to 2,200afs, but other items’ rates remained unchanged.

The 50-kg Kazakhstani flour rate remained unchanged at 1,250 afghanis, a 24-kg bag of Pakistani rice was priced at 1,800afs, and a 16-kg tin of Khurshid ghee cost 1,120afs, the prices as of last week’s.

Meanwhile, Haji Rahmatullah, a tea seller in Kabul Mandavi, said a kilogram of Indonesian green tea cost 220afs and the same amount of African black tea 240afs, the same prices as of past six days.

Sometimes a slight difference is observed in retail and wholesale prices but in some areas, the difference is huge.

Ahmad Wali Panjshiri, who owns a grocery store in Dahn-i-Bagh area, said, 50-kg of Kazakhstani flour was sold for 1,350afs, 49-kg sack of Pakistani sugar for 2,400 afs, 16-litre tin of Khurshid ghee for 1,300afs, 24.5kg sack of Pakistani rice for 2,000afs, a kilo of Indonesian green tea for 270 afs and the same quantity of African black tea for 290afs.  

Gold prices also remained stable. Mohammad Fawad, a jeweller in Timor Shahi area, said the price of one gram of Arabian gold was 2,300afs and the same amount Russian variety cost 1,850afs.

According to money exchangers’ union in Sara-i-Shahzada, one US dollar accounted for 68.30afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees for 640afs against last week's rates of 68.35afs and 639afs.

sns