Value of afghani vs dollar up by 12pc compared to last year

KABUL (Pajhwok): Pajhwok Afghan News findings show the value of the afghani against the US dollar surged by 12 percent compared to last year (January, 2022.)

The prices of food items decreased by eight percent, fuel three percent and gold six percent compared to their last years’ rates.

Value of afghani against US Dollar

Haji Hussain, owner of Sadaqat Money Exchange Company, said currently one US dollar consumed 89.30afs, while at this time last year, one US dollar was accounted for 102afs.

Last year, moneychangers and economic affairs experts linked the decline in the Afghan currency against the US dollar to unemployment, the suspension of international aid and the freezing of Afghan asset by the US.

Fuel prices

Compared to January 2022, fuel prices decreased by 3.3 percent.

According to a worker of the Ahmadyar Group of Pump Stations, the price of one litre of petrol was 75afs and one litre diesel 91afs.

Mohammad Sharif, a liquefied gas seller in Kalola Pushta locality, sold one kilogram of the commodity for 62afs.

Based on Pajhwok information, this time last year, the price of one liter of patrol was 80afs and one liter of diesel 71 afs and one-kilogram gas was sold for 85afs.

Rates of food items

The prices of most food items also decreased by eight percent.

Zmarai Safi, head of the Food Traders Union, said the current price of a 16-litre tin of Malaysian cooking oil was 1,800afs. The price of a 49-kilogram bag of Kazakh flour stood stable at 2,200 afs, 24.5-kilogram sack of Pakistani rice at 3,000afs.

The price of a 49-kilogram bag of Indian sugar is 3,000afs, one kilogram of African black tea 400afs and the same quantity of Indonesian green tea 350afs.

Based on last year’s figures, the price of a 49-kilogram bag of Kazakh flour stood at 2,400 afs, 16-litre tin of Malaysian cooking oil 2,700afs, 24.5-kilogram sack of Pakistani rice at 2,500afs, 49 kilograms bag of Indian sugar at 3,300afs, one kilogram of African black tea at 400afs and the same quantity of Indonesian green tea at 400afs.

Gold prices decrease by six percent

Mohammad Folad, owner of Haji Hamid Salehzad jewelry in Temor Shahee area of Kabul, told Pajhwok Afghan News the price of one gram of Arabian gold was 4,250afs and the same quantity of the Russian variety 3,400afs.

While last year the price of one gram of Arabian gold was 4,600afs and the same quantity of Russian variety 3,600afs.

Abdul Nasir Reshtia, an economic expert and head of Afghanistan iron melting factories union, called the decrease in prices of essential items and increase in the value of afghani against US dollar promising.

He said: “In my view, the first reason is that the international community provided $40 million to Afghanistan every week and Da Afghanistan Bank continued its past policy of auctioning dollars.”

He said another reason was that the smuggling of dollars was also prevented to Pakistan and Iran and on contrary dollars were smuggled into Afghanistan from Pakistan

He said the weekly auction of American dollars by Da Afghanistan Bank also played a role in maintaining the value of the afghani.

He said the international community had so far provided more than three billion dollars in cash or non-cash, which was injected into the Afghan economy and it helped the Afghan currency to keep its value.

About the decrease in prices of other essential items, he said the price of gold and petroleum products changed globally as well as in Afghanistan.

sa/ma