Essential items’ prices down by 7pc in Kabul marts

KABUL (Pajhwok): The prices of essential daily-use items declined in Kabul markets during the outgoing week following the depreciation of the US dollar against afghani, market sources said on Saturday.

Haji Hussain, owner of Sadaqat Money Exchange Service, told Pajhwok Afghan News that today one US dollar traded at 77.50afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees at 230afs.

Last week, a US dollar consumed 84afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees 270afs.

Moneychangers link the increase in the value of afghani against US dollar with auction of dollars by the central bank and the ban on transactions in Pakistani rupees in the south of the country and continuation of humanitarian assistance.

However, in some provinces, Pakistani and Iranian currencies are used in daily transactions.

Fuel prices down by more than 7.5pc

A worker at Ahmadyar Group of Pump Stations said the price of one litre of petrol dropped from 73afs to 67afs and one litre diesel from 65afs to 60afs.

Mohammad Sharif, a liquefied gas seller in Kalola Pushta locality, said the price of one kilogram of the commodity decreased to 50afs from 54afs.

Food items rates down by 7pc

Zmarai Safi, head of the Food Traders Association, said the rate of 49 kilograms of flour decreased from 1,600afs to 1,500afs, 24.5-kilogram sack of Pakistani rice from 3,000afs to 2,750afs, a 16-liter tin of Malaysian cooking oil from 1,650afs to 1,550afs, 49-kilogram of Indian sugar from 3,550afs to 3,450afs, a kilogram of African black tea from 400afs to 350afs and the same amount of Indonesian green tea from 350afs to 320afs.

Hamid Sufizada, a retailer at Dahna-i-Bagh Market, said the retail price of a 49-kilogram bag of Kazakh flour was 1,550afs, a 24-kg bag of Pakistani rice 2,800afs and a 49-kg sack of Indian sugar 3,500afs.

Also, a 16-litre bottle of cooking oil accounted for 1,600afs, one kilogram of black tea 370afs and the same quantity of green tea for 400afs.

Gold prices up

Mohammad Fawad, a jeweler in Timor Shahi area, said the price of one gram of Arabian gold went up from 4,000afs to 4350, but the same amount of Russian variety decreased from 3,400afs to 3,000afs.

hz/sa/ma