KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Residents of southeastern Khost province complain the prices of essential food items have increased with the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan. However, government officials say serious steps are being taken to control price-hike.
Wahidullah, who runs a handcart, told Pajhwok Afghan News the prices of food items had increased with the start of Ramadan and therefore he was unable to purchase essential food items.
Janat Khan, another resident of Khost city, said the prices of food item such as flour, cooking oil, rice and sugar had increased unprecedently with the arrival of Ramadan compared to the past.
On the other hand, shopkeepers in Khost city confirmed the hike in food items’ prices.
Noor Shahzad, a shopkeeper in Khost city, told Pajhwok: “Traders can bring more if prices are cheap. The more you sell, the more profit you make, so we urge the government to lower taxes on goods so that traders can bring more goods and sell them to people cheaply.”
Sher Mohammad, another shopkeeper, said that 50kg bag of flour before Ramadan was sold for 2,200 afghanis, but currently it was sold for 2,500afs, 50kg sugar before Ramadan cost 2,700afs but currently it costs 3,000afs, 40kg rice was sold for 1,250afs against its current price of 1,500afs and 16-liter tin of cooking oil used to cost 2,500afs while it currently cost 2,750afs.
On the other hand, government officials said they were taking serious measures to control price-hike.
Shabir Ahmad Usmani, Information and Culture Director, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the government were making efforts to control price-hike.
On the other hand, Khost municipality in a statement that it was controlling prices and urged shopkeepers to keep their weights steady and avoid hoarding.
sa/ma
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