Flour, sugar prices up, Afghani currency down

KABUL (Pajhwok): The prices of flour and sugar have edged up following decline in the Afghani currency value while the rates of other essential items remain stable during the outgoing week in the capital Kabul, market sources said Saturday.

According to Haji Mir Hussain Sadaqat, owner of Sadaqat Money Exchange Services in Kabul, one US dollar accounted for 74.40 Afghanis and 1,000 Pakistani rupees 585 Afghanis against last week’s 73.35afs and 583afs.

In food items, the prices of flour and sugar have increased.

Food Traders Union head, Fazal Rahman, told Pajhwok Afghan News the price of 50 kilograms of Kazakhstani flour increased from 1,200afs to 1,250afs and 49 kilograms of Pakistani sugar from 1,600afs to 1,620afs this week.

He said rise in the US dollar value was the reason behind dipped Afghani currency.

However, he said 24kg of Pakistani rice cost 2,000afs and 16 liters of Khurshid ghee 1,020afs, the same rates of last week’s.

Noor Ahmad Khairkhwa, a tea seller in Kabul Mandavi, said a kilogram of Indonesian green tea cost 280afs and the same amount of African black tea 300afs -- same prices as last week’s.

Ahmad Wali Panjsheri, who owns a grocery store in Dahn-i-Bagh area of Kabul, sold a 50-kg sack of Kazakhstani flour for 1,350afs, a 49-kg bag of sugar for 1,800afs, 24-kg of Pakistani rice 2,400afs a 16-litre tin of ghee for 1,130afs, one-kg of Indonesian green tea for 300afs and the same amount of black African tea for 350afs—higher than wholesale rates.

The rates of fuel remain unchanged.

Abdul Hadi, a worker at Wazirabad fuel station in Kabul, told Pajhwok that one liter of diesel cost 46afs and the same quantity of petrol 56afs, no changes have recorded.

Ahmad Javid, a liquefied gas seller in Taimani area of Kabul, said the price of one kilogram of the commodity was stood at 60afs.

The prices of gold also remain stable.

Haji Fawad Ahmad Salehzada, a jeweler in Timor Shahi area of Kabul, said one gram of Arabian gold cost 2,350afs and the same quantity of Russian variety 1,850afs.

mds