Rice, cooking oil prices up in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): The prices of Pakistani rice, cooking oil and gold surged, while that of Kazakh flour declined in outgoing week in Kabul, market sources said on Saturday.

Zmarai Safi, head of the Food Traders’ Association, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the price of a 49-kilogram sack of Kazakh flour went down from 1,500afs to 1,470afs.

But the price of a 24 kilogram of Pakistani rice jumped from 3,000afs to 3,400afs and a 16-litre bottle of Malaysian cooking oil from 2,100afs to 2,150afs.

And a 49-kilogram bag of Indian sugar cost 2,400afs, one kilogram of Indonesian green tea at 350afs and the rate of a kilogram of African black tea at 380afs.

He linked the hike in rice price with the closure of trade routes with neighbouring Pakistan, which affected rice supplies in Kabul markets.

He noted that in some cases retail prices differ slightly from wholesale prices, while in others the difference is more significant.

Hamid Sufizada, a retailer at Dahna-i-Bagh market, put the retail price of a 49-kg bag of Kazakh flour at 1,520afs, a 24-kg bag of Pakistani rice at 3,450afs and a 49-kg sack of Indian sugar at 2,450afs.

A 16-litre bottle of cooking oil accounted for 2,200afs, one kilogram of black tea for 430afs and the same quantity of green tea for 400afs, he added.

Gold prices up

Mohammad Fawad, a jeweller in Timor Shahi area, said the price of one gram of Arabian gold went up from 7,300afs to 7,550afs and the same amount of the Russian variety surged from 5,780afs to 5,950afs.

Gold dealers say fluctuations in local gold prices are linked to changes in international markets.

Fuel prices

A worker at the Ahmadyar pump station told Pajhwok the price of one litre of petrol cost 62afs, while the same quantity of diesel at 63afs.

He attributed the decline due to global market trend.

However, Mohammad Jan Amin, a shopkeeper in the Dahan Bagh area of Kabul, said the price of one kilogram of liquefied gas sold for 54afs compared to last Saturday.

He attributed the rise to higher liquefied gas prices in international markets.

Currency rates

Haji Mohammad Hussain, owner of the Sadaqat Money Exchange Service, said one US dollar traded for 66.20afs, while 1,000 Pakistani rupees exchanged for 225afs.

During the previous week, one US dollar consumed 66.30afs and 1,000 Pakistani rupees 225afs. The spike in the afghani value is essentially linked to periodic dollar auctions by the central bank.

hz